3.2 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Trustees should have full authority to decide how many exhibitions 

 are to be held each year, and also to decide how much money is to 

 be awarded in prizes. 



The action of the Trustees in eliminating money prizes during 

 the past year was conservative and wise. As you undoubtedly 

 know, the Society has twenty-one funds, the income of which 

 (roughly speaking, $2500) is distributed in money prizes. If these 

 prizes, even with the additions made thereto from our general 

 funds, are awarded each year, the sums are comparatively small 

 and can be of little financial assistance to exhibitors, many of 

 whom come from long distances and find the expense of travel and 

 transportation burdensome. The terms of four of these gifts to 

 the Society compel the awarding of annual prizes. 



Unfortunately several of these funds are for objects which are 

 now practically obsolete, thereby reducing the amount actually 

 available for premiums by several hundred dollars. Some day 

 your Trustees should apply to the Courts for permission to use the 

 income of these funds for kindred purposes which, in the opinion 

 of the Trustees, may be desirable and useful. 



During the past year, the Society has done its share in War 

 Relief Work by giving the Red Cross the use of its building, and 

 also the receipts of its exhibitions. 



As a war measure, the Society offered free practical demonstra- 

 tions of the proper methods of vegetable growing. A plot of earth 

 was brought into one of the halls, and a practical, competent 

 gardener was engaged from May to August to give information on 

 planting, transplanting, fertilizing, and other necessary subjects 

 concerning the management of a successful vegetable garden. 

 This was an innovation in the old methods of the Society. The 

 results were very satisfactory, and I would suggest that something 

 more in this line may well be considered in the immediate future, 

 so that such demonstrations of horticultural work might be enlarged 

 and extended to other parts of the Commonwealth. 



The most important horticultural event was the Spring Exhibi- 

 tion, in March, which was a notable success, both horticulturally 

 and financially. The proceeds of this exhibition, amounting to 

 $4500, were donated to the Boston Metropolitan Chapter of the 

 American Red Cross. At this exhibition, a Tea Garden was run 



