REPORT OF THE SECRETARY AND LIBRARIAN 

 FOR THE YEAR 1905. 



The Secretary and Librarian respectfully presents the following 

 report for the year 1905: 



The broadening of interest in the exhibitions of the Society on the 

 part of the commercial growers and of the various associations 

 devoted to special lines of floricultural productions has been a 

 noteworthy feature of the work of the last two years. All of these 

 have received a cordial welcome and their cooperation has been 

 greatly appreciated. 



The Society should be broad enough in its aims to include all 

 who are engaged in the work of extending and developing the hor- 

 ticultural education of the community. It should give the hand of 

 fellowship to the amateur, the professional, and the commercial 

 elements, all of whom should find in our halls a generous encour- 

 agement. 



While the "Flower Show" still continues to be our leading 

 method for the advancement of horticulture in the community and 

 is probably as potent an influence in sustaining this interest as any 

 that at present can be devised, it may be, in order to maintain the 

 leadership of the Society in horticultural matters, that some addi- 

 tional features of a practical nature may well be adopted in the 

 new years which await us. 



In no period of our history has there been a wider interest in 

 general horticulture than at present and the inclination towards 

 the rural and suburban life is very pronounced. In the moulding 

 of this tendency the horticultural societies of the country have been 

 a strong factor and, perhaps, in this direction their influence can 

 be still further increased. 



In accordance with the vote of the Society at the annual meeting 

 of 190-4 an amendment to the Charter was approved by the Legis- 

 lature of the State in Februarv. This amendment authorizes the 



