54 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



number of views of tropical plants shown by the lecturer. They 

 are not here taken up in precisely the order in which they were 

 exhibited. Palms were illustrated in great variety, both in their 

 isolation and in groups. About twenty of the most prominent 

 species were referred to in detaiL Of the banana type, the most 

 surprising was the traveller's tree at Singapore. Bamboos of 

 all sizes were presented under their varied conditions. These 

 and the. climbers were of surpassing beauty and interest. Of 

 epiphytic plants, aroids and orchids were shown as they occur in 

 their native homes, and they served to emphasize the point made 

 by the lecturer that in frequency, of occurrence and in brilliancy^ 

 tropical blossoms, except on the tree-tops, do not compare with 

 our north temperate vegetation. Perhaps the fruit trees of the 

 tropics were as instructive to the spectators as any other of the 

 illustrations exhibited, because in our stoves these so seldom 

 come into bearing and are so seldom seen. The large number of 

 pictures followed each other in very rapid succession, but with 

 sufficient explanation to make them instructive and interesting. 



Professor Goodale concluded by speaking of Berg's Physiog- 

 nomy of Tropical Vegetation in South America, — on the River 

 Magdalena and in the Andes of New Granada, which he had 

 seen in the Library of the Society and which he recommended a& 

 a valuable supplement to his lecture. 



BUSINESS MEETING. 



Satukday, February 1, 1896. 

 An adjourned meeting of the Society was holden today at 

 eleven o'clock, the President, Fkaxcis H. Appletox, in the chair. 



The President, as Chairman of the Joint Committee on the 

 Building, reported the following vote adopted by that Committee 

 at a meeting on the 22d ult., a copy of which had been sent to 

 every member of the Society, with notice that it would be pre- 

 sented at this meeting: 



Voted, That tlie Joint Committee on the Building recommend to 

 the Society that they give the said Committee power to offer tlie 

 property now occupied by the Society for sale, provided that they 

 can obtain a satisfactory price. 



