6 1MASSACHU8ETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIKTY. 



person who nia}' prefer to appeal directly to the Society- itself, re- 

 mains, as before, perfectl}' free to do so. 



The character of our exhibitions may be taken as the best 

 measure of our progress. In many respects they have distinctly 

 improved. In the ornamental departments, the improvement has 

 been, at some points, a very marked one. Such superb specimens 

 of pot-grown plants as were seen last September in our Hall, were 

 never seen there before. There has been great zeal, on the part 

 of both amateur and professional cultivators, in the introduction of 

 new and rare varieties. Much, too, has been done in the raising of 

 seedlings. But nowhere has there been more improvement than 

 in the show of roses, which has far surpassed that of former years, 

 both in the perfection of single flowers, and in the specimens grown 

 in pots. This last is a feature of our exhibitions, which till re- 

 cently, could hardly be said to exist. What are known as " gen- 

 eral displays " have held a less prominent place than formerly-, and 

 the Flower Committees have shown a just sense of the interests of 

 high culture by rewarding quality rather than quantity. 



The culture of fruits, and vegetables, being far better developed in 

 this country than that of flowers, does not afford the same scope for 

 improvement. In some particulars, the farthest progress seems to 

 be reached already. In pears, for example, it would be hardly 

 reasonable to expect any conspicuous improvement from year to 

 year. In grapes, again, the case is diflerent ; and let us hope that 

 our exhibitors will not rest content till they have equalled, at least 

 under glass, the highest results of European culture. . 



In regard to all our exhibitions, and, in fact, all our proceedings, 

 the great danger is of getting into ruts and staying there. We 

 offer prizes to stinmlate progress, and sometimes the purpose is 

 very well answered. But no observing person can frequent our 

 exhibitions wdthout seeing that, in certain departments, there is a 

 tiresome routine, week after week and year after year. He sees 

 cards marked "First Prize," " Second Prize," " Gratuity," etc., 

 placed against objects neither better nor different from those he 

 had seen distinguished in the same way four or five years before. 

 In these cases, and they are too numerous, the Society misses its 

 mark and throws away the means that ought to be used to promote 

 a true progress. He who presses onward should win the prize, and 

 not he who follows his own tracks in a circle. If the committees 

 will firmly withhold prizes unless there is positive merit in the object 



