that he was unable to bring it with him, and would read it at the next meeting.

The Secretary announced the death of Samuel G. Damon, and it was voted that a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to prepare a memorial. The Chair appointed as that Committee Benjamin G. Smith, E. W. Wood, and Charles F. Curtis.

The President read the draft of a letter to the President-elect of the United States, concerning the appointment of the Secretary of Agriculture. It was unanimously voted that the letter he adopted as an expression of the views of the Society, and that the President be authorized to transmit it to the President-elect of the United States.

The following named persons, having been recommended by the Executive Committee for membership in the Society, were on ballot duly elected:

HON. JOHN SIMPKINS, of Yarmouthport,

B. PRESTON CLARK, of Cohasset,

WILLIAM V. KELLEN, of Marion,

JOHN G. WRIGHT, of Brookline,

MISS SARAH L. ARNOLD, of Newton Centre,
JAMES C. SCORGIE, of Cambridge,

JOHN W. CLARK, of North Hadley.

Adjourned to Saturday, December 12.

BUSINESS MEETING.

SATURDAY, December 12, 1896.

An adjourned meeting of the Society was holden at eleven o'clock. The President and Vice-Presidents being absent, the meeting was called to order by the Secretary, and PATRICK NORTON was chosen Chairman pro tem.

The Annual Report of the Committee on Fruits was read by E. W. Wood, Chairman, accepted, and referred to the Committee on Publication.

The Annual Report of the Committee on Plants was presented by Azell C. Bowditch, Chairman, but as he was suffering from a

severe cold he was excused from reading it, and it was referred to the Committee on Publication.

J. Woodward Manning presented his report as Chairman of the Committee on Flowers.

John G. Barker presented his report as Chairman of the Committee on Gardens.

A portion of each of these reports was read, and they were then severally referred to the Committee on Publication.

Robert Manning read his Annual Report as Secretary and Librarian, which was accepted and referred to the Committee on Publication.

The following vote, moved by Joseph H. Woodford, was passed:

Voted, That the President instruct the Treasurer to pay all warrants issued or to be issued by the Chairmen of the various Committees to all persons serving on a Committee, irrespective of whether they are Chairmen of other Committees or not.

Henry L. Clapp, Chairman of the Committee on School Gardens and Children's Herbariums, read the Annual Report of that Committee, which was accepted and referred to the Committee on Publication.

The meeting was then dissolved.

REPORT

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON PLANTS,

FOR THE YEAR 1896.

By AZELL C. BOWDITCH, CHAIRMAN.

The exhibitions for the past year have shown a marked improvement, both in the number of exhibitors and also in the skill and care bestowed on the cultivation of the plants shown.

The capacity of our halls has been severely taxed at our larger shows, your Committee being obliged to crowd the large collections to an extent which greatly injured the effect of many of the collections and specimens exhibited; but as this matter is in competent hands we trust in the near future to find ourselves in more commodious quarters.

Your Committee take this opportunity to mention some of the most worthy exhibits during the season:

The first exhibition was held on the 11th of January, when William Thatcher and D. F. Roy showed some fine plants of an improved strain of Chinese Primrose.

On the 1st of February Robert Cameron (gardener at the Botanic Garden of Harvard University) exhibited a fine plant of Angræcum sesquipedale with twenty-five flowers, which was the admiration of everyone.

SPRING EXHIBITION.

MARCH 24, 25, 26, AND 27.

During this exhibition the weather was extremely cold, which deterred the orchid growers, whose displays have added so much to these occasions in the past, from bringing in their plants, and the

absence of Cinerarias was also noticeable. Yet, with all these drawbacks, the show was pronounced to be the finest yet given by the Society at this time of the year. First and best were the Cyclamens, of which there were nearly two hundred pots shown. Mrs. Benjamin P. Cheney (John Barr, gardener) had about seventyfive plants, on several of which were blooms measuring five inches from tip to tip; this lot was awarded the first prize. A close competitor was Nathaniel T. Kidder (William J. Martin, gardener), who was awarded the second prize. Undoubtedly a great attraction was Jackson Dawson's Crimson Rambler Rose; to describe the beauty of this plant, with its thousands of brilliant flowers, would be almost impossible; some of the trusses carried as many as forty flowers and buds. Your Committee deemed this a great acquisition, and awarded Mr. Dawson the Society Silver Medal.

MAY EXHIBITION.

MAY 2.

This brought a fine display of Calceolarias, Mrs. Benjamin P. Cheney staging twenty-six plants, all well flowered. Elisha S. Converse's plants showed quite a novel range of color; the individual blooms were of enormous size, and the foliage was very fine. Nathaniel T. Kidder had on exhibition a plant of Bougainvillæa Sanderiana fully six feet through, for which a Silver Medal was awarded. A fine specimen of Boronia elatior, fully six feet high, from the conservatories of Dr. C. G. Weld (Kenneth Finlayson, gardener), attracted a great deal of attention.

ROSE AND STRAWBERRY EXHIBITION.

JUNE 23 AND 24.

This brought a magnificent display of Orchids from the conservatories of E. V. R. Thayer (E. O. Orpet, gardener). Seldom do we see such well grown and well flowered Cattleyas and Odontoglossums. John L. Gardner (W. Thatcher, gardener) was represented by a fine group, and also W. P. Winsor (P. Murray, gardener), a new contributor. Nathaniel T. Kidder also exhibited a plant of Schomburgkia tibicinis, the gay-colored flowers of which attracted much attention.

August 15 we had from the Botanic Garden of Harvard University (Robert Cameron, gardener) a new greenhouse plant, Angelonia angustifolia, from seed gathered in New Mexico; the flowers are a light violet blue, and are borne in the axils of the leaves, the plants being small. Your Committee thought that another season and further development would enable them to judge better of its value. For the present they give it Honorable Mention.

ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF PLANTS AND FLOWERS.

SEPTEMBER 2 AND 3.

At this exhibition J. W. Manning made an exhibit of Hardy Coniferous Trees, among them being some new and rare varieties, which made quite an attractive display at the entrance to the halls; George A. Nickerson and Jason S. Bailey exbibited fine collections of greenhouse plants, which showed what good care and a thorough knowledge can do; their displays were, in the opinion of your Committee, among the best ever made.

September 19 J. W. Manning exhibited some plants of the new Caryopteris Mastacanthus (Blue Spiræa); it is perfectly hardy; flowers blue, borne in clusters at the axils of the leaves, making a hardy shrub which must be a great acquisition; it was awarded the Society's Silver Medal.

CHRYSANTHEMUM EXHIBITION.

NOVEMBER 10, 11, 12, AND 13.

November 10 ushered in the Chrysanthemum Exhibition, which was without doubt the finest ever staged in America; the average high quality of the exhibit was remarkable. The three principal exhibitors for the twelves were: Nathaniel T. Kidder (William J. Martin, gardener), Walter Hunnewell (T. D. Hatfield, gardener), and Mrs. Benjamin P. Cheney (John Barr, gardener). They took prizes in the order named. Mr. Kidder's excelled in general effect; his plants were very even, and the foliage was excellent. Mr. Hunnewell's were not so regular; but two of them, W. H. Lincoln and Garza, were certainly the two finest specimens that ever entered the hall. Mrs. Cheney's plants were perfect