280 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE MASS. HORT. SOCIETY- 



tenths of the Massachusetts Society will 

 join him : 



" Among all the fruits which are pro- 

 duced upon the earth, the highest position 

 has been given to the Ma7igostan, which is 

 indigenous to Java, and other islands in the 

 Indian Archipelago ; the second has been 

 assigned to the Pine- Apple, the third to the 

 Orange, the fourth to the Peach, the fifth 

 to the Grape, and the sixth to the Pear ; 

 but as all these, except the three last, are 

 natives of, and can only be reared within 

 the tropics, and as the grape can be raised 

 in the open air in a very small portion, if in 

 any, of the United States, the Pear takes 

 the second station. And if the long pe- 

 riod of nearly ten months, during which 

 the numerous most admired varieties are 

 most successively matured for our tables, is 

 taken into consideration, with the diversi- 

 ty of graceful forms, beauty of color, agree- 

 able aroma and delicious flavor of many of 

 them, which rival, if they do not surpass, 

 the peach in those qualities, it may, with 

 propriety, be placed at the head of the list 

 of fruits, in all the states where the orange 

 cannot be cultivated." 



We think we cannot better demonstrate 

 the energy and wisdom with which the 

 Massachusetts Society pursues its laudable 

 objects, than by recapitulating from the 

 proceedings of January, 1847, the follow- 

 ing handsome list of prizes offered, to elicit 

 native horticultural productions of the high- 

 est merit — than which there is nothing 



within the scope of such an institution cal- 

 culated to be of such universal advantage 

 to the country at large. 



PROSPECTIVE PREMIUMS 



Ofl^ered by the Massachusetts Horticul- 

 tural Society, for objects to be originated 

 subsequent to A. D. 1846, which shall, 

 after a trial of five years, be deemed equal 

 or superior in quality and other characteris- 

 tics, to any now extant : 



For the best seedling Pear, the Society's Gold Medal, value SGO 



" " Apple, the Society's Gold Medal, 60 



" " Hardy Grape, the Soc.'s Gold Medal, 60 



" " Plum, the Appletoii Gold iNIedal, 40 



" " Cherry, the Lowell Gold Medal, 40 



" " Strawberry, the Lyman Plate, 50 



" " Raspberry, the Lyman Plate, 40 



" " Hardy Rose, the Society's Gold Medal,60 



" " Camellia, the Society's Gold Medal, 60 



'■ " Azalea indica, the Lowell Gold Medal, 40 



" " Tree Pa;onia,the Appleion Gold Medal, 40 



" " Herbaceous Pseonia, Lowell Gold do. 40 



" " Potato, the Society's Gold Medal, 60 



Who cannot see in the future, behind 

 this list of prizes, a long train of fine new 

 fruits and flowers, brought into existence by 

 the spirit engendered by this love of horti- 

 culture, and this emulation among its devo- 

 tees ? Productions, that once made^known 

 by such a Society, after the^ue years'' trial, 

 will be propagated endlessly until they en- 

 rich every garden in the land. With such 

 a view of the benefits, stated in their sim- 

 plest form, and saying nothing of the mo- 

 rale of this refined culture of the soil, it is 

 impossible not to find great cause of gratu- 

 lation in the prosperous existence and career 

 of such institutions as the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society. 



Pelargonium: ltjcia rosea. — This variety is, in 

 its habit and appearance, much like one of the class 

 called "scarlet" pelarfj^oniums. It is a very com- 

 pact growing plant, with short jointed stems, and 

 good sized leaves, of a soft velvety character. The 

 flower stems are strong, and grow erect, so that 

 the trusses of bloom are brought well above the 

 foliage ; the colour of the flowers is a most deli- 

 cate soft pink, or peach blossom, with a lovely 

 white eye — altogether a distinct colour among pe- 



largoniums. It is a gem for the flower garden, be- 

 ing not only perfectly distinct, but also superlative- 

 ly beautiful. Sometimes, when kept in pots, and 

 not very freely grown, we have observed it to pro- 

 duce but small trusses of blooin, but this improves 

 when it is growing freely in the open garden. Pro- 

 bably, however, it may in time be improved on ; in 

 the mean time, it may chiefly be valued for its no- 

 vel colour. — London Hort. Mas. 



