43« 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



On the platform were some gorgeous specimans 

 of vegetation. Whereever a position was to be 

 had that could add dignity to the surroundings a 

 magnificent tropical or greenhouse plant or tree 

 was to be found. 



A rubber tree of about seven feet in height with 

 its bright olive green, leathery leaves was a point 

 of admiration. Others as beautiful tho not so large 

 filled positions no less inferior. 



A branch of a peach tree laden with ripe fruit 

 (24 peaches in a cluster), caused many to stop and 

 make the enquiry, •'Can such peaches as these be 

 grown in Kincardine?" Mr. E. Miller is the 

 grower. A snap shot was taken of the prolific 

 branch. 



A very large agapanthus in full bloom was a 

 much admired plant. In the center of the platform 

 was a tall and graceful spike of campanula with 

 its scores of bell shaped mild lilac flowers. A 

 tripod with a beautiful jardiniere just visible 

 through a maze of asparagus sprengeri, and a 

 grand vase with choice asters held prominent po- 

 sitions. These with castor beans, sword ferns. 

 cacti, etc, rendered the platform a "thing of 

 beauty." Some music to enliven and cheer the 

 admiring spectators was given by the Misses Smith 

 and Henry on the piano. 



Woodstock. — Another very su:cesjful garden 

 meeting of the Horticultural Society was held last 

 night at the residjn:e of Mr. Wm. Grey, Graham 

 street. The attendance was unusually large, 

 proving that the holding o? garden monthly meet- 

 ings brings out more members and their friends 

 than when the msetings are held in the Council 

 chamber. Those present at last night's meeting 

 spent a very pleasant hour between seven and 

 eight o'clock, seeing Mr. Grey's vegetable, fruit 

 and flowergardiU, and walkin_5 about his well-kept 

 lawn. The distinctive characteristic of Mr. Grey's 

 flowers is that a considerable propori-ion are old- 

 fashioned or those that were common a quarter of 

 a century or more ago. Many of these are now 

 popular in the most modern gardens and they were 

 seen last night with evident pleasure. S3veral 

 evening primroses attracted general attention as 

 they cam3 into bloom while looking at them. But 

 Mr. Grey's fruit and vegetable garden; are quite 

 equal to his flowers, and hs has an abuniant crop. 



At eight o'cloek the regular ra >nthly meeting was 

 held in the spacioui parlor. The chief business 

 was the making arran^emjnts for the forthcoming 

 horticultural exhibition. Th% President reported 

 for the committee in charge that they had sslested 

 the market building as the place for holding the 



exhibition, and this was approved by the meeting. 

 It was also decided to hold the exhibition on Wed- 

 nesday and Thursday, the 20th and 21st of August. 

 A large committee to carry out all the arrange- 

 ments was then appointed, including the following : 

 Mrs. Davidson, Mrs. Hoare, Mrs. H. J. Finkle, 

 Mrs. Dawson and Miss Moyse, together with the 

 President, Secretary and Messrs. Wood roof e, Rich- 

 mond, Sproat, Calender, Hoare and Dawes. This 

 committee will meet at an early date. 



THE FIRST SOCIETY. 



The President, on behalf of the Society, thanked 

 Mr. Grey for his kind invitation to hold the meet- 

 ing on his grounds and for the pleasure which had 

 thereby been afforded the members of the Society 

 and their friends. He also requested Mr. Grey to 

 give a sketch of his horticultural experiences in 

 Woodstock and of the formation of the first horti- 

 cultural society. The latter, Mr. Grey explained, 

 was formed, according to his recollection, some 

 time in the forties. The late J. T. Cottle was a 

 prominent member, and the first exhibition was 

 held in his house, then a frame one, which subse- 

 quently gave place to the brick structure known as 

 Altadore. Two subsequent exhibitions were held, 

 the latter being a failure After that the Society 

 seems to have collapsed, but it was revived in the 

 fifties, and if we recollect aright, also in the late 

 seventies, prior to the formation of the present or- 

 ganization later on. Mr. Grey mentioned a Mr. 

 Jones, a blacksmith in the east end, as one of the 

 pioneer settlers who indulged in flowers. The 

 gentry, a large number of whom were located in 

 Woodstock and vicinity at that timj, had also 

 creditable flower gardens. The Cottle's, the 

 lidies ol the Graham family, George Alex- 

 ander, Deblaquires, Vansittarts, General Mur- 

 ray and others cultivated flowers and helped 

 to give an impetus to their general cultivation in 

 the then " clearing " and subsequent village, town 

 and city of Woodstock. Mr. Grey also mentioned 

 the formation of the first Agricultural Society, 

 whose exhibition was held for some time on the 

 Bettridge property below Riddell street, later on 

 what is now Victoria Park, then to the grounds 

 west of the present C. P. R. railway, and finally 

 to the present fair grounds on the Alexander prop- 

 erty no.th of the city. 



Mr. Grey's story was listened to with interest 

 and pleasure by those who heard him last night, 

 and at the close he was accorded a hearty vote of 

 thanks. The serving of light refreshments by the 

 venerable host, and Miss Sharp brought to a close 

 an unusually interesting meeting of our loeal Hor- 

 ticultural Society. 



