1878. 



AND HORTICULTURIST, 



319" 



was elected corresponding member of the 

 botanical section of that learned body by thirty- 

 two votes out of forty. Mr. Charles Darwin, | 

 who was the other candidate, only polled five j 

 votes. Although, of course, we should have been | 

 glad if the honor had fallen on our own country- ! 

 man, we most cordially congratulate Professor | 

 Asa Gray on the well-earned distinction con- 1 

 ferred on him, a sentiment in which we are per- > 

 fectly sure that his unsuccessful rival will join' 

 most heartily. It will be seen by this that if ; 

 one wants to consider the feelings of all, and 

 particularly those of M. Decaisne and the gen- : 



tlemen who compose the French Academy of 

 Science, it is not well to do too much. Profes- 

 sor Gray, however, is also an indefatigable 

 worker in the cause of science." 



[To the above we may add that here in America, 

 where iSlr. Darwin and his labors are highly 

 esteemed even by those who may not always 

 agree with his conclusion, it would have been a 

 source of gratification had Mr. Darwin been 

 elected, and we are sure this sentiment would 

 have been heartily shared in by Professor Asa, 

 Gray, worthy as he is himself of any honor the^ 

 French Academy can bestow.. — Ed. G. M.] 



Horticultural Societies. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 

 — Elijidieth year of Col. Marshall P. Wilder. — 

 Col. Wilder's horticultural and agricultural 

 friends thought the eightieth birthday of this 

 distinguished patron of the art of cultivation, a 

 good occassion to celebrate, and met accordingly 

 in great numbers at The Parker House, Boston, 

 on the 21st of September, to do honor to it. It 

 was a grand success. Col. Wilder in response 

 to remarks by Alderman Chas. Breck, spoke as 

 follows : 



" Mr. President : I thank you for your kind 

 expressions of respect, and you, my dear, dear 

 friends, for the very cordial reception yon have 

 given me. Nothing could be more grateful to 

 my feelings than these warm demonstrations of 

 friendship and regard, coming, as they do from 

 those who have known me for many years, and 

 are conversant with my many frailties and faults. 

 Yes, the wheels of time move on and tell the 

 story of our by-gone-days ; and if I live to see 

 the opening of another Sabbath morn I shall 

 have passed the bounds of fourscore years. Most 

 devoutly would I render thanks to the Giver of 

 all good that he has prolonged my life, and tliat 

 I am able to be here with you on this joyous oc- 

 casion — here in the presence of my beloved pas- 

 tor, who for thirty years has been my spiritual 

 adviser — here with so many kind friends and co- 

 laborers, with whom I have taken sweet counsel 

 these many years — here to receive your friendly 



salutations and, perhaps for the last time, to en- 

 joy the sweet melody of your voices and breathe 

 in the still sweeter consolation which arises like 

 incense from off" the altar of sympathizing souls. 

 When we reflect upon our past labors,our thoughts 

 naturally revert to the Massachusetts Horticul- 

 tural Society, whose fiftieth annual exhibition 

 has just closed, and for which you, Mr. President,- 

 and your good father have done so much. Well 

 do I remember its first exhibition in the old Ex- 

 j change Coffee House in this city. Well do I re- 

 I member the scene, with its two small side tables 

 and one at the head of the hall. Well do I re- 

 collect the contribution of fruits when Robert 

 Manning, the great pomologist of America, con- 

 tributed only two baskets of fruit, and the subse- 

 quent growth of his enterprise, when lie donated 

 many hundred varieties, and afterwards had in 

 the Pomological' Garden at Salem 2000 varieties 

 of fruit trees. Thank God, his son, bearing his 

 own name, is with us to-day. Well do 1 remem- 

 ber the dinner at which sixty gentlemen partici- 

 pated, and the speeches which succeeded it. The 

 scene is before me now. There sat at the head 

 of the tal)le the eloquent Dearborn ; there on liis 

 right and left sat His Honor, Lieutenant-Gover- 

 nor Thos. L. Wintlu-op (father of our beloved 

 Hon. Robert C. Winthrop), and' His Honor the 

 then Mayor of the city, Harrison Gray Otis, and 

 the accomplished statesman and orator, Daniel 

 Webster of immortal fame. [Applause.] There, 

 too, were Hon. John C. Gray, vice-president, 

 Dr. Jacob Bigelow, corresponding secretary of 



