HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 205 



other plants that I think we ought to cultivate, and see if we can- 

 not improve on them. 



A Member. Do we understand that the gentleman that sits up 

 there by the table has successfully cultivated the sand cherry? 



Mr. Barrett. Yes. 



A Member. I think it would be a good time to get up and tell 

 the society how he did it. 



Mr. Barratt. Why, I simply treated it as I did my other plants. 

 I have learned by hard knocks how to take care of my plants, in 

 the West. I cannot do in the West as I used to in the East. I took 

 special pains to see that the ground was in special condition, by 

 deep plowing. My ground had been cultivated before I put them 

 in. I raised wheat and potatoes on the ground and pulverized the 

 soil, and then these plants were shipped to me in a fresh, excellent 

 condition, early in the spring. I planted them deep, and dressed 

 the soil around them as we do with our other plants. I did 

 not mulch them. I do not think I lost one per cent of all I 

 planted. The antagonism I have had to overcome, is with rabbits; 

 for they, as well as boys, have a great affinity for them — that is, 

 they eat off the bark. The sand cherry is a very hardy plant, and 

 bears excellent cherries. The root of this plant can be used for 

 grafting purposes for other varieties of cherries. It is very 

 healthy. 



A Member. What is the quality of the fruit? 



Mr. Barrett. It is not equal to some of our cherries, but it has 

 a slightly acid flavor, and is an excellent fruit for various purposes. 



Mr. F. G. Gould, of Excelsior, being called upon, spoke very 

 entertaingly of the best methods of building and heating green- 

 houses, after which the following paper was read: 



GREENHOUSES AND HOT-BEDS. 



By Gust Malmquist, of Minneapolis. 



To properly treat of this subject, it will be necessary to give a 

 short history of greenhouse construction as it was formerly used, 

 in order to get an understanding of the improvements made. 



With the advancement of civilization and culture, the taste for 

 flowers and plants for home adornment is increased. In the olden 

 time, only kings and rich landlords employed gardeners and flor- 

 ists. In the true meaning of the word, it is only a recently added 

 branch of horticulture. 



The first greenhouses built, were only structures erected for 

 storing of such plants as laurels, figs, myrtle, oranges and 

 lemon, etc., grown in tubs for ornamentation of lawn during sum- 

 mer, and were not intended for growing purposes. Consequently 



