REPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. 



GRAND KIVER VALLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



OFFICERS. 



President — William Rowe, Grand Rapids. 

 Vice President — A. .S. White, Grand Rapids. 

 Secretary — W. N. Cook, Grand Rapids. 

 Treasurer — S. L. Fuller, Grand Rapids, 



This Society held monthly meetings convening the first Tuesday after- 

 noon in each montli for the entire year; held a very successful fair in connec- 

 tion with the Kent County Agricultural Society, and entertained the State 

 Pomological Society at the annual session of that organization. 



The work of the Society is intended to cover the whole field of horticulture, 

 although as yet pomology leads. 



The April meeting was given up to plants and flowers, the question being 

 " What are the ten best varieties of plants for window gardens." 



Mr. John Suttle, being called on for his views, said it was rather a hard 

 matter to answer the question. The following list, however, of plants for 

 winter blooming he felt sure would be found as satisfactory as any ten that 

 could be selected : 



One rose geranium. 



One heliotrope. 



One calla. 



Sweet alvssum. 



*j 



Mignonette. 



Two varieties Chinese primrose. 



Two varieties of Bouvardias. 



Two varieties of rose — one Hermosa pink, and the other Agrippina red. 



Mr. Suttle said he had eleven instead of ten in tlie list, but that he would 

 like also to squeeze in a variety of the Begonia. The English ivy was a very 

 desirable plant ni every way, but he had not included it in his list as it was not 

 a bloomer, and he has confined his selections to winter-blooming plants. The 

 Chmese prnnroses he considered, on the whole, the best winter-bloomers for 

 ordinary house culture; they would bloom with less light than the rest. The 

 Bouvardias were also fine bloomers, and would bear more dry heat than most 

 others. The roses given in tlie list were very satisfactory, giving flowers freely 

 •during the winter months, but they needed a good light; in fact, the more 

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