report of committee on plants and flowers. 139 



August 17. 



The display of Gladioli was in most respects very good, although 

 some growers complained that the prize day was a week too early, 

 heavy rains having injured the flowers. Good collections were 

 shown by A. McLaren, J. S. Richards, M. H. Merriam, H. Glea- 

 son, and G. Crafts ; several fine new French varieties were on the 

 table. 



E. L. Beard contributed the following very desirable free-flowering 

 orchids : Disa grandijlora, Odontoglossum Bictonense, and Oncidium 

 ornitliorliynclium. Joseph Tailby showed several verj' fine seedling 

 carnations, grown from seed of La Purete and Boule de Neige ; 

 several of them will undoubtedly prove valuable for florists' use. 

 From Miss E. M. Harris, there was a Table Design composed of 

 native ferns, arranged with her usual excellent taste. 



August 24. 



Asters were not as well represented as usual, some growers 

 complaining that the prize day was too earl}', but veiy good stands 

 were exhibited by E. Sheppard, J. B. Moore, and A. McLaren, who 

 received the three prizes in the order of their names. 



T. Putnam Symonds brought a remarkable spike of flowers of 

 Lilium auratum, grown upon a stem seven feet high, measuring at 

 the base an inch and a half in diameter, widening at the top to 

 three inches, and consisting of several smaller stems, merged into 

 one broad, flat stem. This bore, when exhibited, one hundred and 

 fort}' expanded flowers, probabl}' the largest number ever seen in 

 this country or England, on one stem, though the individual flowers 

 were rather smaller than the type. We shall be curious to notice 

 the condition of the plant next season, and to know whether such 

 profuse blooming will kill it, or whether it can continue its wonder- 

 ful development. This lily has proved very unreliable with most 

 cultivators in this countr}' , blooming for a few 3'ears \evy luxuri- 

 antly, and d3'ing suddenly without apparent cause. J. F. C. Hj'de 

 sent a seedling gladiolus, pure white, some of the lower divisions 

 striped with pink. 



August 31. 



Hove}' & Co. showed a Yerj fine group of Lilium Melpomene. 

 Verbenas were very well exhibited b}' six competitors, Messrs. 



