ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT APPLETOX. 11 



consequence of such inconvenience, and the cheering influence 

 that might be imparted to many whose lives are confined to a 

 city home is lost. 



I would not call to your attention so publicly our deficiencies, 

 as they appear to me, did I believe there was any chance of 

 further detracting from the attendance in these quarters, but I 

 consider that such detraction has been already discounted, and 

 that the treasury has already suffered from these causes. 



A most valuable asset towards promoting the objects for which 

 we are a chartered institution is the Library. My intimate con- 

 nection with this department, as a member of its Committee for a 

 number of years, has enabled me to see that its value is great for 

 our purpose ; but the opportunities for using it and distributing- 

 its usefulness, bear too small a proportion to its value. 



Its books are accumulating without shelf room to receive them, 

 and are so filling up the floor and tables of the library and reading- 

 room, and also the vacant space on the shelves behind the regu- 

 larly shelved books, that the discouragements to use the library 

 room are thus very great. 



For some reason, not quite clear, the heating apparatus seems 

 to be beyond control in the library rooms in the colder season, and 

 the high temperature is complained of by members. 



To accomplish the best results a reading-room should not be 

 occupied by others than those having the delivery of its books in 

 charge, while the reading-room and stack-room are combined, 

 and be otherwise exclusively for readers. Where possible, a 

 reading-room should be separate from the stack-room ; but this 

 is more than we should expect. 



I feel that it is in the interest of advance in horticulture, so 

 far as our Library can assist, that the minimum of work should be 

 done in our reading-room, as at present constituted. 



The shelves are now overflowing with books, and I will sug- 

 gest that it may be a waste of money to attempt to improve the 

 Library accommodation in this location. 



To be of most use, our awards of prizes should be issued soon 

 after the awards are made ; and the effectiveness of the essa3^s 

 delivered is increased by early publication, when the Committee 

 decide to print them. 



Lists of Library acqu^isitions are always hung upon our walls, 

 and they, with the corrected list of members, can well wait until 



