The following papers and discussions have been circulated to some extent in the form of slips reprinted from the reports made by the Secretary of the Society in the "Boston Transcript." As here presented, the papers are printed in full, and the discussions are not only much fuller than in the weekly reports, but, where it appeared necessary, have been carefully revised by the speakers. The Committee on Publication and Discussion take this opportunity to repeat what they have before stated, that the Society is not to be held responsible for the certainty of the statements, the correctness of the opinions, or the accuracy of the nomenclature in the papers and discussions now or heretofore published, all of which must rest on the credit or judgment of the respective writers or speakers, the Society undertaking only to present these papers and discussions, or the substance of them, correctly. TRANSACTIONS OF THE Massachusetts Horticultural Society. BUSINESS MEETING. SATURDAY, January 4, 1896. A duly notified stated meeting of the Society was holden at eleven o'clock, the chair being taken by President NATHANIEL T. KIDDER. This being the commencement of the term of office of the new board of officers and Committees, the retiring President, with appropriate remarks, introduced the President-elect, FRANCIS H. APPLETON, who delivered the usual inaugural address, as follows: ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT APPLETON. Fellow-Members of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society: Twenty-five years ago this year I was sufficiently inoculated with the germ of fondness for, and in interest in, those branches of horticulture which are, in varied form, the charge and care of this Society under legislative assignment, to request that my name be presented for Life Membership, and I feel that had I been called upon to pay fifty dollars, instead of thirty dollars, for my Certificate it would not have been too much. The possibilities for helpfulness to the individual who is interested in horticulture, and usefulness to horticulture in general, of this Society, are great - indeed much greater than is possible in this present building. I feel that, in the several branches represented by our Committees, our Society can do more than is now possible, or is now our custom to do, to enlarge and advance the sphere of the |