The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-09-16
Presidents Report.

The close of another year brings together
the members of the Society at the Annual
Meeting provided in its original Constitution
of 1851, in which it is also a fundamental
rule that the retiring President shall de-
liver an address, epitomizing its proceedings
for the past year. Such, however, was the
torpid condition of the Society for several
years, that its annual members, and conse-
quently its annual meetings, had entirely
died out. 1t is, therefore, with no small
amount of qualification that now ask leave
to revive that salutary rule under more cheer
ing and favorable auspices.
A fatal error had been committed by the
Society in the selection end purchase of a
site at SO great distance from town as to
be inaccessible to pedestrians, who form a
vast majority of the community; as was too
conclusiyely proved by the rapid and total
cessation of ANIMAL members, ION whose
money it must always depend for support, }
after that purchase, so that the property of
the Society was, for some seven years, vested
in the few life members who had originally
qualified by paying $50 each to its funds.
The sale of that Inflated garden, in 1866
placed the Society in the position for which
had steadily and almost single handed con-
tended, both publicly and privately, for sew
eral years, and enabled us to purchase an
other sic more eligible; and have now the
pleasure to report that a site has been pur-
chased in fee, in Emma Street, containing
about three acres of excellent land, within a
very few minutes walk of the town, well
watered and commanding a splendid view of
the town and adjoining ocean, and in all re-
spects unobjectionabe, except in its too lin
tied area, defect quite within the reach of
remedy BY the purchase of other adjacent
lands, if only the funds shall be contributed
for the purpose, which by no means despair
Already the Dew garden, under the man.
agement of our vigorous gardener, Mr..
Crowell, has been graded, cultivated, fenced,
and partially planted with about 300 choice
and valuable exotic trees and piants-the re-
suit, mainly, Of Dr. Hilleband's Asiatic tour
and when completed, will contain speci-
men of every useful and ornamental plant
collected by him, the value of which, to all
who have any appreciation of such matters,
it would be difficult TO over-estimate. Many
OF them have already. proved to be well
adapted to our soil and climate, and 1t is
hoped that by judicious and careful manage
ment in our garden, where those already
planted seem most healthy and vigorous,
almost all of them may eventually become
acclimated. am quite safe in asserting that
SO extensive cultivation of such valuable ex-
otics has never before been accomplished
anywhere IN SO limited period
1t will be seen by the report of Mr.. Derby,
the Society's excellent and competent Gu
rator, Ito whose skill and untiring energy in
the successful care and culture of the planted
seeds forwarded by Dr. Hillebrand the King
dom is mainly indebted for so valuable and
splendid a collection,) that he has distributed
over the Kingdom, gratuitously, 652 plants;
and has sold for account of the Society 551
plants and has reserved for the new garden
about 100 plants, making in all, 1858, COM
prising lis species OF most valuable and or
1amental trees and plants, among which may 4
be mentioned the camphor cinnamon, pi- /
nento or allspice, nutmeg, jack fruit, bael !
ruit, jamboses of sorts, jambolan, black |
pepper, betel pepper, cubeb pepper, palms
If several species, (sOme fruit bearing trees
fielding yarnish, valuable dye woods and
aiming material, Japan wax tree, of much
value, tallow tree, soap tree, In
Ian salad tree, looking glass tree, sago plant,
lava plum, Bengal ounce, SIENNA bearing
rec, teak tree, (of which thousands of seeds
ave been circulated, and many of them
rowing on the islands, Also, the far
lmed Upas tree, Grape myrtle, a most
eautifnl shrub, ironwood tree, Phanera,
piendid climber, Ito be seen at DIR. Hof-
,ann's in perfection,) and a large number of
ther beautiful ornamental and fruit bearing
rees. These are only a small sample of
reat whole.
1t will be seen by the Treasurer's report
nat the funds of the Society are in a salts
Ictory state; and as the greater part of the
eavy outlay in the purchase and culture of
he new garden has already been discussed,
nd a comfortable balance remains on hand,
lie Society enters on another year of its
Ither eheckercd existence under tolerably
right auspices. 1 think it is hardly too ,
uch to anticipate for it an amount of public i,
lpport which viii enable it to extend the
Ca of the new garden, and to which have I
ason to believe that the Hon. Board of I'm
igration and Agriculture, to whom we are
ready indebted for liberal donation, will
so contribute 4.
1t is frequently suggested that Society !
Stunning the title of Agricultural" ought Q
embrace in its projects and operations \
ore elements of that all-important depart D
emit than can be achieved by mere metro q
Titan garden, such as the introduction of =
proved live stock, and experiments on the a
lture of food producing plants and seeds p
fully appreciated by those who i
We had the management Of the soeiety's fl