482 



HORTICULTURE 



• April 1, 1911 



NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW 



AN UNPARALLELED SUCCESS 



List of Exhibits in Competitive and Trade Departments in the 



Great Show — List of Awards — Meetings of Many 



Societies — Notes of Entertainments etc. 



The "Great National Flower Show" now at its height 

 in Boston has unqualifiedlj' fulfilled all that has been pre- 

 dicted for it during the many months of preparation. 

 In grandeur and extent it so far excels all records that its 

 most enthusiastic supporters are simply amazed and the 

 visitors from far and near have been privileged to gaze 

 upon one of the most beautiful spectacles ever presented. 

 It is bewildering and, practically impossible, to ade- 

 quately describe the scene. 



Among the features which, in the estimation of every 

 visitor, stand out in especial prominence are the rose 

 garden of Thomas Roland, the group of magnificent 

 acacias, ericas, etc., by the same cxhibitoi', the trained 

 Rambler roses of M. H. Walsh and the Dutch Garden by 

 R. & J. Farquhar & Co. The illustrations presented 

 herewith convey but feebly any conception of the vast- 

 ness and elegance of these displays, the gorgeous color 

 effect and the artistic taste displayed in these and other 

 displays, individual or collective. Sensational in the 

 extreme was also the beautiful display of sweet peas 

 staged on Tuesday by Wm. Sim. 



The main floor of Mechanics Building has two great 

 divisions, Grand Hall and Mechanics Hall. The great 

 central area of Grand Hall is devoted to plant group- 

 ings of mammoth proportions, the Dutch garden occupy- 

 ing the stage and a large section of the contiguous floor 

 space, the immense group of decorative plants from W. 

 A. Manda filling the entire opposite end, the acacia, 

 orchid and erica groups occupying the centre and the 

 whole flanked by extensive massings of flowering and 

 foliage plants, while the space underneath the galleries 

 on either side is given up to the trade plant displays and 

 decorations no less beautiful than the competitive groups. 



In Mechanics Hall the scene is a riot of gorgeous color. 

 Here are the rose gardens, the Italian garden and endless 

 massings of spring-flowering bulbs, and Easter blooming 

 plants, forming vistas of unprecedented loveliness. 

 Large sections are given over to the cut flower displays, 

 the roses and violets having had especial prominence on 

 the first three days, the sweet peas and carnations follow- 

 ing on Tuesday and Wednesday and the roses coming on 

 for a repetition on the final days of the week. The gal- 



leries and the lower floor are given over to the trade dis- 

 play section — the florists' supplies in the former and the 

 mechanical appliances in the latter — in both of which 

 the public have displayed great interest. The famed 

 Philharmonic orchestra on the stage in Grand Hall, a 

 fine ladies' orchestra in Mechanics Hall and a smaller 

 one in the Machinery Hall give concerts day and evening. 



THE OPENING EXEECISES 



These were simple in character. Paul Revere Hall, 

 which with a number of smaller halls occupies a portion 

 of the upper floor of the vast Mechanics Building was 

 well filled with a brilliant audience wjien at 8 o'clock on 

 Saturday evening J. K. M. L. Farquhar called the 

 meeting to order and in a brief address, closing with 

 the verses which appear elsewhere in this paper, extended 

 a cordial greeting and told of the work which led to this 

 brilliant outcome. He then introduced F. R. Pierson, 

 chairman of the Flower Show Committee who made a 

 most graceful speech, paying a liigh compliment to 

 Boston's horticultural preeminence. 



Mayor Fitzgerald was the next speaker. Eloquent 

 and pleasing as always he expressed the enthusiastic and 

 liospitable welcome of the city to its visitors. Governor 

 Foss, on behalf of the State of Massachusetts, v6iced 

 his appreciation of the elevating influence of horticul- 

 ture and the splendor of the floral scene in the halls 

 below. Then came Hon. S. W. McCall. who in his ad- 

 dress took occasion to pay an appreciative tribute to the 

 character and attainments of Wm. R. Smitii, the ven- 

 erable superintendent of the National Botanic Garden 

 and "Father of the Charter" and was followed by Chas. 

 W. Parker, president of the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society who briefly extended the best wishes of that in- 

 fluential body. President George Asmus of the S. A. F. 

 was next introduced and gave a short account of the 

 scope and aim of that organization. Wm. R. Smith was 

 the last speaker and, on being introduced, was accorded 

 an ovation. He took occasion to compliment Boston on 

 its esthetic culture, referred to Prof. C. S. Sargent as a 

 man with no equal on earth in his chosen sphere and did 

 not forget to add a few words regarding his lieloved 

 Robert Burns. 



