DOINGS OF OTHER SOCIETIES. 



will be an increased planting in this depart- 

 ment hereabouts, I am sure, from evidences 

 in the gathering. • 



Owen Socsd was the next place to visit. 

 In this picturesquely situated and fast grow- 

 ing town your Society's membership, though 

 not large, has a deep, intelligent interest in 

 the work of the society and the meeting was, 

 I believe, profitable to all. Ven. Archdeacon 

 McMuUer occupied the chair and opened the 

 meeting in good spirit. For nearly two hours 

 of address and answering of queries a lively 

 interest was displayed in the subject of 

 floriculture, as they sought guidance for 

 the watering, care, propagation, growing 

 from seed, pruning and keeping of their 

 plants from season to season. Many lovers 

 of the great families of bulbous plants are here, 

 and we believe that in this locality many hardy 

 border plants and gorgeous flowering lilies 

 may be successfully grown. Perpetual Roses 

 should find a congenial clime and soil. We 

 forecast a great future for Horticultural So- 

 ciety and town. 



Orangevilll — We closed the first week's 

 work, March 25th, at Orangeville. Arriving 

 in good time I had an opportunity of making 

 the acquaintance of a number of citizens and 

 the otiicers of the Horticultural Society. 

 This being the second annual meeting a good 

 deal of enthusiam prevailed, and very nice 

 preparations were made for the evening. 

 The local greenhouse men, Messrs. Maun and 

 Xicholson, furnished plants as specimens, 

 and there did not seem to be a director that 

 Wds not a worker and willing to give time 

 and material to decorate the Town Hall, 

 hence a full house of several hundred people. 

 Music furnished by the orchestra in good 

 style, also the gramophone. Mr. Walsh made 

 a first-rate chaircran, with a strong and pleas- 

 ing personality and happy address. The 

 various otficers seem to be well and wisely 

 chosen ; gentlemen eminently fitted by their 

 ability and natural love of the objects of the 

 Society and with a set purpose to attain the 

 best ends before it. They advertised their 

 meeting well and systematically — first by 

 local papers, lastly by hand-bills — then an- 

 nouncing it in every school. Result : a large 

 house thoroughly interested and willingly lis- 

 tening for about two hours to address and re- 

 plies to questions, the subject being almost 

 inexhaustible to enthusiastic lovers of nature. 

 Here I Mr. Woolverton', 1 amfof opinion is one 

 of the best organized, successful and most ag- 

 gressive Horticultural Societies in Ontario. 

 \V. E Judge, Sec , John McLaren, Pres., 

 and Mr. Walsh, Vice-Pres., are in their right 

 place and deserve the sincere thanks of the 

 community for their earnest efforts. The 

 ladies evinced an intelligent acquamtance 

 with many varieties of plants and their re- 

 quirements. Success to Orangeville. 



Niagara Falls. — Had a full afternoon to 



make acquaintance with the refined and kind- 

 ly people of this historic place. Evidence of 

 ■^^he love of the many beautiful varieties of 

 plants now to be had was to be seen in almost 

 every home. The directors are a live lot of 

 men, full of push and faith, and do things in 

 a business-like way excepting, perhaps, a lit- 

 tle more hand-bill advertizing might make for 

 the better. The meeting, though not large, 

 was very select. The Rev. Canon Bull occu- 

 pied the chair, and very gracefully put the ob- 

 jects of the gathering forward and gave a 

 right tone to the evening. There were really 

 some very nice specimens of Genista, Abutilon 

 Geranium and other plants, grown by Mr. G. 

 Pyper, who well understands the art. Also 

 cut flowers, by Mr. Cameron of the park, 

 lovely trusses of geraniums, heliotropes, goi» 

 geous spikes of cannas in many colors, etc. 

 They here heard gladly what we had to say 

 and elicited by questioning much information 

 and volunteered freely their own experience. 



KiNCARDiyg. — On March 31st, the annual 

 meeting was held. Our visit was very 

 pleasant and the people seemed to enjoy much 

 what was done. The officers are aggressive 

 as will be seen from the fact that they now 

 have a membership of 98. This has l>een ac- 

 complished by energy and perseverance on 

 the part of the directors. There are here 

 those who are determined to succeed. Much 

 intelligence was displayed in the discussion of 

 plant life, etc. They were very sincere and 

 hearty in their expression of thankfulness to 

 the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association for 

 the generous extension of help to their Soci- 

 ety. The Society will accomplish much in 

 this vicinity to awaken a deep interest in 

 gardening and plant culture It is a pleasure 

 to meet a people like this. 



Midland. — At Midland we had a large and 

 enthusiastic gathering It was to be regretted 

 that several of the officers were indisposed. 

 However, Miss M. TuUy the Secretary, is a 

 host in herself, and Mr. Cook, Vice-president, 

 filled well the chair. The meeting was 

 opened by songs well rendered by Mr. Hun- 

 ter, and at intervals by two ladiis whose 

 names (unpardonably) I have let slip, who 

 were in "good voice" and evidenth' favor- 

 ites. There was a keen interest taken in the 

 direction of finding out the secret of plant 

 culture in the house, specially, after that 

 from the address delivered they discovered 

 that they had fallen into the error of giving 

 plants too large a pot, etc. Many came to 

 express their pleasure and satisfaction with 

 this information so generously given by the 

 O. F. G. Association and hoped for future 

 visits — especially as this evening was spent 

 almost exclusively among the family of bulbs 

 at their request. The Midland people have 

 the elements of a large and prosperous Horti- 

 cultural Society. 



Wm. Bacon, Orillia. 



209 



