144 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



founders of the corporation known as " Trustees of Public Reserva- 

 tions," its Secretary and President ; from this organization sprang 

 our admirable Metropolitan Park System. Mr. Eliot was the first 

 Landscape Architect appointed by the Commission, and he con- 

 tinued in their service until his death. To him, more than any 

 other man, the community is indebted for the preservation and 

 improvement of these large tracts of land. 



He was easily the best professional writer of the day on Land- 

 scape Gardening. His style was clear, earnest, and convincing, 

 and he allowed no minor considerations to stand in the way of 

 what he deemed the broadest and finest treatment looked at from 

 the future, and no man during the past few years has done so 

 much towards crystallizing the better inspirations of our com- 

 munity in this direction than Charles Eliot. 



Thoroughly informed by study, observation, and mature con- 

 sideration, he brought also to his professional activity^ the influence 

 of a trained intellect and a real personal charm. 



The loss of a man who united so man}' admirable qualities will 

 be long felt and sincerely remembered by his associates here. 



H. P. Walcott, \ 

 B. M. Watson, ^ Committee. 



J. H. BOWDITCH, ) 



Boston, 14th April, 1897. 



This report, also, was unanimously accepted and adopted, and 

 ordered to be entered on the records. 



The Chairman read a letter from the Boston Society of Natural 

 History asking the Society to join with the Society of Natural 

 History and the several leading scientific and educational institu- 

 tions in this city in an invitation to the American Association for 

 the Advancement of Science, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary 

 of its organization in Boston, its birthplace, in August, 1898. 

 This letter had been considered by the Executive Committee, who 

 advised that this Society' unite with the Society of Natural History 

 in the invitation to the Association for the Advancement of 

 Science. On motion of Nathaniel T. Kidder, it was voted that 

 this Society do so unite. 



On motion of William C. Strong, it was 



Voted, That the President be authorized to offer the use of our 

 Hall to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 



