REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON WINDOW GARDENING. 213 



"Wolcott, was chosen, and to them was committed the work of 

 preparing a list of such plants as could be grown satisfactorily in 

 windows, especially those which would not require a large share of 

 sunlight, and also of arranging a list of prizes to stimulate a 

 healthful rivalry. 



The second obstacle confronting the Committee was the difficulty 

 of reaching the children to be encouraged to cultivate the plants. 

 The third was the lesser one of obtaining plants for distribution. 



To meet the second obstacle, a circular was issued to the pastor of 

 ever J church in the city proper, and the outlying wards. In these 

 circulars the co-operation of the pastor, and a lady connected with 

 the Sunda}^ School, was requested. An informal meeting of the 

 Committee, on Tuesday, April 2d, was attended by about forty 

 ladies and gentlemen, who discussed the plans quite fully. At this 

 time generous offers of plants, suitable for the purpose, were made 

 by H. Weld Fuller, and Henry Ross. A Schedule of prizes to be 

 offered was published, uniform with that of the Society's other 

 prizes, and distributed to those schools which had expressed an 

 interest in the subject, as well as to those missionaries who were 

 conversant with the children to be reached. During the month of 

 June but few plants were presented for gratuities. On each 

 Saturda}- in Julj' and August, plants were offered by the children, 

 and after a few gratuities had been awarded the interest became 

 quite general. On September 14th the Society, through the Com- 

 mittee, opened the Lower Hall for a special exhibition, and a 

 couple of hundred plants were brought for competition according to 

 the Schedule. While the Committee were occupied in deciding on 

 the merits of the specimens, which, to say the least, were not as 

 thrifty as those that usually grace the tables, the criticisms of 

 the passers by were, in a few instances, unfavorable, but a word of 

 explanation as to the raisers was accepted pleasantly, and a 

 Schedule, which contained a brief statement of the work, was carried 

 awa}' to be conned over at home. 



Those who have watched this movement from the first, while 

 cognizant of all the difficulties that lie in the way of all new 

 departures, have been encouraged by the interest manifested, and 

 the good results shown. Letters from several gentlemen and 

 ladies bear testimony to the happy influences alread}- noticed. It 

 may here be mentioned, that the da}' appointed b^- the Committee 

 for their final show was a fortnight earlier than the da}- for the 



