Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 83 



Brighton, and Messrs. Hovey, ot Cambridge. Before I dismiss this sub- 

 ject, allow me to recommend for your consideration, tlie propriety of so 

 amending the By-Laws, as to provide for, and establish a Professorship of 

 Landscape Gardening. 



Persons extensively engaged in the cultivation of fruit for the market, or 

 for their own use, have probably noticed the vast number of insects which 

 prey upon, or otlierwiso destroy the fruit, in all its stages, from the opening 

 of tlie flower bud to the period of its maturity. To counteract these devas- 

 tations, some persons have placed bottles, partly filled with sweetened water, 

 among the branches of their trees, thus destroying hundreds of thousands of 

 insects witliout discriminating between friends and foes. This is, in my 

 opinion, a subject worthy of consideration, and which might be placed in the 

 hands of our Professor of Entomoloicy for his investigation, and should he 

 consider it a fit subject for a public lecture, or lectures, he might be solicited 

 to communicate the result of his research, in that, or some other way, to tlie 

 members of this Society and the public. I would furtlier suggest, that the 

 Professor of Botany, and also the Professor of Horticultural Chemistry, be 

 consulted as to tlie expediency of delivering one or more lectures annually, 

 on the respective subjects committed to their charge. 



The premiums offered, and the gratuities given by tlie Society, for many 

 years past, have produced a laudable competition among the cultivators of 

 excellent vegetables, beautiful flowers, and delicious fruits. As a natural 

 result, corresponding improvements have been made in the management of 

 Trees, Shrubs, Plants, &.c., in the Orchard, Garden, and Conservatory, but 

 not to that extent, probably, that would have been made, had tlie Society of- 

 fered liberal premiums for the best conducted, most productive, and econom- 

 ically managed establishments. I would therefore recommend that premi- 

 ums be oflTered, and gratuities be given by the Society, under tlie direction of 

 a Committee appointed for tliat purpose, whose duty it should be, to visit and 

 examine such places, as the proprietors thereof shall invite them so to do, at 

 such times and as oflen as they may deem proper, without any previous no- 

 tice having been given to the gardener, superintendent or other person having 

 charge of the same ; that the Committee may be able to form a correct judg- 

 ment, as to tlie general management, and state of cultivation on the premises, 

 and to report to tlie Society the most successful cultivators at home, as tlie 

 other Committees report the finest products exliibited in the Hall of the 

 Society. 



The Hall of the Society is well located, and in every way adapted for tlie 

 present weekly and minor exhibitions of the Society ; but it is already found 

 to be entirely too limited for the larger displays. I would, therefore, suggest 

 that an arrangement be made to have the Annual Exhibition, in September 

 next, under a tent or tents of ample dimensions, in some suitable place as 

 near tlie centre of the city as possible. Such a show would probably give a 

 new impulse to the pursuits of Horticulture, and in some measure meet the 

 increasing demands of the public for more information on that subject. The 

 eye, the mirror of the tablet of memory, will ever be, in my opinion, the 

 pioneer in Horticultural science ; it should be first consulted, by being brought 



