STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 123 



should not be a jungle o£ variety. You and I know many such 

 rooms, in which, besides the fitting furniture and pictures, and 

 artistic decorations, there is a wild hodge-podge of plaques, decalco- 

 manie, diaphania, paper flowers, dried flowers, phantom-leaf work, 

 moss work, spatter work, Easter crosses, soap advertisements, wax 

 flowers, monograms, barrel chairs, cone work, hanging shelves and 

 lambrequins, watch pockets, broom holders, slipper pockets, match 

 holders, cat-tail easels, and "God Bless Our Home!" The lawn is 

 often another equally sad and meaningless jumble of things, pretty 

 in themselves, but made a nuisance by their multiplicity and aimless 

 setting. 



Now a word as to flowers and color. In some retired and par- 

 tially shaded nook, let the early spring bloomers have a chance. 

 Especially let us have our old acquaintances, the dandelion, the 

 spring beauty, and the Dutchman's breeches, followed, a little later, 

 by the lady's slipper and buttercups. In midsummer and later, give 

 our native asters, thistles, and glorious golden rod a fence corner in 

 which to bourgeon at their own sweet will. Then, to crown the 

 year with glory, the trees should be selected with a view to the 

 grand autumn object lesson in tints and shading, which they are to 

 furnish to the open eyes of the children of men. Then we shall 

 welcome, at the autumn disrobing of Nature, the lemon tint of the 

 elm, the bloody hue of the Virginia creeper, the claret of the small 

 oaks, and the ruby of the sumach, while the sugar maples glow with 

 the whole chromatic scale of reds and yellows. Even the blue of 

 raspberry stems and the coffee color of blackberry patches add to 

 the infinite range of tint and shade that signalize and delightfully 

 prolong Nature's annual disrobement. The trees and vines may be 

 so selected as to keep up the glow and glory of autumn color for 

 two months' time. 



Ours is a rich and beautiful commonwealth, in the grandest 

 country on all this interesting and funny and solemn old globe. In 

 the dreamland of fancy I see her rise, as she bids fair to do, to the 

 position of chief and empire state; and I fervently hope this Society 

 may do something towards covering her fair prairies with beauty, 

 and nothing whatever to blot them with deformity. 



IIEPOIIT OF COMMITTEE OX STRAWBERRIES. HANDLING 



2VND MARKETING. 



BY H. K. YICKEOY, NORMAL. 



In handling and marketing fruits, it is necessary to have on 

 hand a good supply, made up, of small crates, holding from four 

 to six quarts, for pickers to carry their berries in; quart boxes and 

 crates for marketing the same. If this important matter is neg- 

 lected, it will cause delay and much inconvenience afterwards. Wire- 

 made boxes will give the best satisfaction. They never come apart 



