The Club during the year brought its collection of slides up to the 
number of two hundred. 
In all these various ways the first and main purpose of the Club, that 
of education and guidance in the study of edible and poisonous fungi, 
was carried out. 
The Treasurer’s report showed that the receipts of the Club applicable 
to the year ($376.00) were exceeded by the expenditures ($388.00) ; the 
deficit being met out of the balance ($48.00) on hand May 1st, 1897* In 
addition to this $4.00 was received for arrears, and $22.00 for dues paid 
in advance. From these data the actual paid up membership (about 400) 
is reckoned. 
Since the formation of the Boston Mycological Club, other similar 
Clubs have been formed in Dedham, Mass.; in New York, N. Y.; in 
Washington, D. C., and in Philadelphia, Pa. 
In Harper’s Bazar for June 26th, 1897, was published an account of the 
“Westfield Toadstool Club” of Westfield, N. Y. organized on March 6th, 
1895. This club antedates the B. M. C. by over five months. It is espe¬ 
cially to be commended for choosing a title which is in actual correspond¬ 
ence with its objects and work. The B. M. C. so far has not proved its 
right to its more comprehensive name, but it is making a beginning to 
extend its field of work, as will be seen in the announcements and in the 
following note on the President’s remarks at the annual meeting. 
The President of the Club, Dr. Francis, reviewed the work of the year 
from the scientific side, and spoke of the need of more accurate and ex¬ 
tended studies in regard to the season, habitat, and distribution of species 
that are familiar or that can be easily identified; also of the value of such 
data as can be gathered in regard to unfamiliar plants. The importance 
of such work he would insist on, not to the exclusion of the popular and 
more generally interesting purpose of the Club, but as a necessary 
adjunct and basis for that work, if it is to have value. Chief among our 
needs are: 1, a complete and accurate list of species already found in the 
country, or at least in the northeastern portion of it; 2, some expert 
authority to visit our exhibitions and deal in a final way with the speci¬ 
mens gathered. 
Both of these desiderata are at present beyond our reach, but it is quite 
within our power to preserve notes and specimens in such form and con¬ 
dition that they may serve, when submitted to some competent authority* 
to enable the species to be determined. As a beginning, to make this 
part of the work more effective, the Executive Committee, to whom dis¬ 
cretion in the matter was given, has deemed it wise to engage the ser¬ 
vices of a trained botanical student, to whom has been entrusted, in 
addition to the care of the exhibitions, the more important task of begin¬ 
ning collections for a herbarium. 
ANNOUNCEMENTS. 
A Meeting is called for Saturday, July 16th, at Horticultural Hall at 
3 P. M. On Saturday, July 23rd, which is the first prize day for mush¬ 
rooms, there will be an informal talk at 3 o’clock when the exhibition 
closes. Similar talks will frequently be given in connection with the 
regular weekly exhibitions. 
Members are urged to interest themselves in the exhibitions and to 
bring in specimens. These should be at the hall before 10 A. M., and the 
exhibitor should place with every species his own name and a note of 
