WORCESTER COUNTY 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



A. D. 1893. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



To the Members of the 



Worcester County Horticultural Society : 



This Society did not put in an appearance at the Columbian 

 Exposition in Chicago, as, at your last Annual Meeting, you con- 

 cluded that you possibly might ; and, because of such default, no 

 additional trophies will be suspended from these walls. It was 

 determined by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, early in 

 the year, that it would not be in the interest of that organization 

 to make an exhibit. Had we gone to Chicago, our Fruits or 

 Flowers must have been displayed within the space accorded to 

 the State Society. As a prospective guest, it did not become us 

 to inquire too minutely into the reasons that decided the final 

 action of our hosts. It has been intimated that there may have 

 been a difierence of opinion upon the matter of expenditure ; 

 that there were who cherished a conviction that the Common- 

 wealth should defray the cost of mailing a Horticultural Exhibit; 

 insomuch as every specimen would be contributed by individuals, 

 at much personal trouble and self-denial, without prospect or 

 hope of ulterior benefit. Massachusetts is reputed to have ex- 

 pended some $175,000, for one purpose or another, in connection 

 with the Columbian Exposition ; her most notable display being 

 an assortment selected from the Members of the General Court, 

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