PRIZES AND GRATUITIES AWARDED FOR SCHOOL GARDENS AND CHILDREN'S HERBARIUMS. For one hundred specimens, first prize, Franklin 5.00 4.00 4.00 For seventy-five specimens, first prize, Carl M. True, 3.00 2.00 2.00 Gratuities: Nahant School, for school collection of one hun- 6.00 FERNS. For twenty-five specimens, first prize, Marion C. Goward 4.00 For fifteen specimens, first prize, Roscoe G. Knight, 3.00 2.00 Sedges. Gratuities: Arthur E. French, for two additions Arthur C. Faxon, for five additions RUSHES. Gratuity: Arthur C. Faxon, for eight specimens LEAF SPRAYS. For thirty-six sheets, first prize, J. Stanley Webb Second, Katharine A. Dwyer Gratuities: Arthur C. Faxon, for ten additions Philip G. Clapp, for ten sheets Total for Herbariums and Gardens . The amount of money appropriated by the Society for $2.00 1 00 2.00 3 00 1.00 1.00 50 $104 25 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE YEAR 1897. The year just about closing has been, as usual, quite gratifying to your Committee, for the reasons that the exhibitions all through the season have been very full, and an unusual interest has been manifested by a large number of new exhibitors. This is greatly to be commended, for the constant addition of new life to any working institution is desirable, since by these additions we come in contact with new and improved modes of cultivation, which are sometimes great improvements over the old methods, and add to our exhibitions an interest which they would not have had except by this new life which is constantly being added by the initiation of new members. We are also pleased to note the unflagging interest of the gardeners in our shows, for without their hearty coöperation our shows would be utter failures. We are under great obligations to them for their industry and zeal, and we try to repay them, in part, by expending a portion of our appropriation for their comfort and enjoyment. It is also pleasant to record the great success of the Mycologi cal Club, an auxiliary to our Society, and the enthusiasm manifested by the members in making their shows of wild fungi as large and complete as possible. Their exhibitions have added very largely to the knowledge of the edible species of this class of vegetables, much to the gratification of the lovers of mushrooms. Taking the Schedule of Prizes as the basis for our action, the halls, tables, etc., have been so arranged as best to bring into view the various collections at each exhibition, and the exhibitors have cooperated so well with your Committee that there has not been any friction or adverse comment on the allotment of space. This is very gratifying when we take into consideration the very crowded and limited accommodations we have at some of our shows. We are under still another obligation to our friend Jerome Jones, Esq., for the loan of three very large and elegant china vases for the display of chrysanthemums in November, thus giving us eight large vases to meet all the entries made for these particular prizes. The exhibitions this year have been quite as numerous as during any former year, and yet at only two of them, the Spring and Chrysanthemum Shows, has any admittance fee been charged. At the end of this report will be found an account of the receipts derived from these exhibitions. These are not as much as your Committee would desire, and surely not nearly as much as it would expect with better accommodations. We are under obligations to the newspapers for copious reports of our shows, but we should be under much greater obligations if they would tell the public what to expect before the shows take place, thereby giving the people an inkling of what is to come off before the shows are all over. The arrangements of plants and flowers at the different shows have been varied so as to produce the most pleasing effect as a whole, taking into consideration that none of your Committee knows what will be sent in till the contributions reach the hall. The chairmen of other committees will tell you about the progress we are making in our noble art, and we trust their reports will be read with interest, pleasure, and profit by all our members. Receipts at Spring Exhibition Receipts at Chrysanthemum Show all of which is in the Treasury of the Society. Respectfully submitted, $319 75 654 50 $974 25 Jos. H. WOOdford, Chairman. REPORT OF THE DELEGATE TO THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE YEAR 1897. It was stated in a previous report that the work of the State Board of Agriculture was divided among sub-committees of the members. The work of the Committee on Gypsy Moth, Insects. and Birds would seem to have special interest for this Society. The present facilities for travel and transportation enable collectors to visit every habitable part of the globe in search for new species and varieties of fruits, flowers, vegetables, ornamental trees and shrubs, with the constant danger of bringing their insect enemies with them. Foreign countries have found it necessary to pass stringent laws requiring all nursery stock to be inspected before being planted or distributed. Two insects which have proved most destructive in foreign countries have recently been introduced into this State, the Gypsy Moth and the Brown-tailed Moth. The former was brought here by a Frenchman who, having some knowledge of entomology, thought that by cross-breeding he could produce a more hardy silkworm than the common species. While carrying on his experi ments some of the caterpillars escaped and soon became a serious pest in the neighborhood. He resided in the southern portion of Medford; his neighbors had small places with gardens of limited area containing the usual garden fruits. In 1889 the caterpillars appeared in such quantities as to defy all attempts to destroy them by individual effort. The shade trees in the streets were stripped of their foliage and the fences and the sides and roofs of the houses were covered with the caterpillars. They entered the houses, secreting themselves in the closets and in the beds. The citizens. called a special town meeting and appropriated three hundred |