HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 79 



PRIZE ESSAYS. 



Mr. Pearse. Mr. President, in regard to the essays offered 

 by the Society, I would suggest that they be read and passed 

 upon by the Society. 



Mr. Underwood. Would it not be well after the awards are 

 made for the one that was successful to step up and read his own 

 essay? 



Mr. Wilcox. I submit if that would be the proper thing. On 

 receiving the program I had the the matter of offering prize 

 essays announced in our public schools at Hastings, so the boys 

 might become interested in writing on the different subjects. I 

 have five essays with me that were sent to file with the Secretary 

 at the proper time. But if they are to be read by the parties 

 writing them it would be only justice to them that the commit- 

 tees should make their reports so they could get here in time. 

 It would hardly be advisable to compel parties from outside the 

 state, for instance, to come here with the hope and expectation 

 that they might be called upon to read the prize essay that they 

 might have won. 



Mr. Dartt. The reading of so many papers, it occurs to me 

 would take too much time and should not be done. This prize 

 is offered for the best writing and not for the best reading. It 

 seems to me the plan pursued last year is good enough for the 

 writers; that is, to have the committees read all the papers and 

 decide as to their value. One on each subject might be read, 

 and that would probably be enough aside from the discussion. 



Mr. Pearse. Let the committees read them all and let the 

 best be read; that is all I suggest. 



Mr. Gould. I suiDpose the Society does not take the responsi- 

 bility of publishing the successful essays in its tratnsactions, but 

 if published it is for whatever merit it may have in any case; 

 the So'iety only indorse it in a general way. I therefore think 

 it better not to have any criticisms passed upon them in a public 

 manner but let them simply be printed in the report. 



Mr. Pearse. I think the committee have power to reject any 

 or all if they see fit, 



Mr. Gould. Certainly; but I mean to say after they accept, if 

 they decide to do so. 



Mr. Pearse. They report, I presume whether to accept or 

 exclude the essay and the Society decides the matter. 



