106 FIELD MEETING AT 



A list of the more important and interesting plants of 

 the higher orders found by her in Georgetown has been 

 prepared by Mrs. Horner, and will be found appended to 

 this report. 



Rev. WILLIAM P. ALCOTT, of Boxford, being called up- 

 on, spoke of the lichens as worthy of study both for their 

 beauty, botanical interest, and the part they play in the 

 economy of the vegetable world. He also spoke of the 

 study of mineralogy, and exhibited some specimens of 

 rocks and minerals which he had brought from Egypt. 



Rev. BENJ. F. MCDANIEL, of Salem, took up the sub- 

 ject left by Mr. Alcott, and gave a brief outline of the 

 region, regretting that the rock exposures in the vicinity 

 were so few and uniform in character as to leave little for 

 him to say. He urged the importance of the study of 

 geology, even in such an unpromising field, and asked for 

 the cooperation of local students in bringing the hidden 

 things to light. 



In answers to questions, he gave a brief account of the 

 formation of peat bogs and their transformation, through 

 several stages, into coal. 



Messrs. Sidney Perley, of Boxford, and Henry M. Nel- 

 son, of Georgetown, spoke on historical matters relating 

 to the town, Mr. Nelson stating that Oak Dell was a part 

 of a large tract of land, an original grant to his ancestors. 



Messrs. Andrew Nichols, of Danvers, M. W. Bartlett, 

 of West Newbury, and Dr. B. F. Stevens, of the Boxford 

 Natural History Society, made brief remarks- 

 After the usual votes of thanks to Miss Nelson and the 

 Messrs. Nelson for the use of the grounds and other cour- 

 tesies received, and to Messrs. Elliot, Perley, Mrs. 

 Horner and others who contributed to the success of the 

 meeting, the parties separated for their journeys home- 

 ward. 



