16 BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 



an equivalent in having, in the very centre of the city, and of easy access, a 

 Botanical Garden furnished with all that is needed for horticultural and 

 floricultural displays — a place of high intellectual resort, to which they may 

 hereafter proudly point as one of the first institutions formed in Canada for 

 the advancement of botanical science. The Electoral Division Society for 

 promoting horticulture, agriculture, &c, and the City of Kingston Horticul- 

 tural Society, which this year united to render their exhibitions more 

 complete, would doubtless come frankly forward to aid a society whose 

 objects are in a great measure identical with their own. These two societies 

 collected in the locality in 18G0, with the addition of a Government grant 

 for the furtherance of the objects, a sum of nearly 1,500 dols. One-half 

 this amount would be sufficient, on the simple and economical plan of Sir 

 Joseph Paxton, for the construction of a glass house 100 feet long 

 with twelve feet lights. I quote these figures to show that the object is 

 not unattainable if there is a desire to accomplish it. The proposed Bota- 

 nical Society would materially strengthen itself by opening communication 

 and exchanging courtesies with older societies in other parts of the world. 

 Contributions to the gardens might be procured from London and Paris, 

 Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other places. Such men as Professor Lindley, 

 Sir W. J. Hooker, Dr. Balfour, and others connected with Botanical So- 

 cieties and Gardens, should be invited to take an interest by being nomi- 

 nated associates of the society. * * * After all, however, the success 

 of the proposed Botanical Society must depend upon the intelligence, ear- 

 nestness, and activity of its members. Botany is a science that may be 

 taught in a popular, as well as scientific, form to the young as well as to 

 the old, and to one sex as well as to the other. The botanical garden has 

 charms which can be appreciated by all. The country around is rich in 

 specimens of interest to the botanising student, and the formation and 

 labours of the society may alike tend to develope latent talent, improve 

 our knowledge of the North American Flora, and extend the area of scien- 

 tific knowledge and research. 



The Rev. Principal reviewed some of the leading points brought forward 

 in the addresses, and referred briefly to some of the more important advan- 

 tages that might accrue to the country from an institution such as the one 

 that had been proposed, alluding especially to the inducements which it 

 would give to botanical research. Dr. Lawson, he said, when enumerating 

 the grounds for the establishment of a Botanical Society, omitted the 

 weightiest of all — viz., that we can count upon his services. Without his 

 large and valuable experience in the management of such societies, I fear 

 we would have little heart to carry out the scheme. He for a long period 

 acted as the secretary of the Edinburgh Botanical Society — one of the most 

 active in the world ; and, from his accurate knowledge of the details of 

 management, and his well-merited distinction in botanical science, he is 

 qualified, in no ordinary measure, for organising such a society as the one 

 we contemplate. The labour will fall chiefly upon his shoulders, but we 

 must pledge ourselves to lend him every assistance in our power. 



