26 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



becoming more and more of a floricultural society and fruits and 

 vegetables appear to be \iewed somewhat in the Hght of necessary 

 nuisances. Not many years ago the bulk of our vegetable exhibi- 

 tors were commercial men and these same keen, wide-awake, and 

 able men comprised our vegetable committees. Now we regret 

 to say we have lost nearly all of this most desirable element. 

 Alienated exhibitors can be regained, however, if the Society's 

 present policy is changed. Competition can be stimulated best 

 and interest quickened and retained by holding monthly shows from 

 June until November and by appropriating a fair share of the 

 prizes for vegetable exhibits. An occasional big vegetable show 

 accomplishes far less while costing much more than a number of 

 small exhibitions. 



The committee will freely admit that large floriculture displays 

 in early spring will attract the multitudes and help fill the 

 exchequer; the exhibits at these shows, however, are all grown 

 under glass. If we are to broaden our Society and secure the 

 sympathetic support of the great mass of garden lovers we must 

 encourage the culture of open air subjects in every legitimate way. 

 This cannot be done unless the management of this Society departs 

 in some measure from its present polic}'. 



We do not need to be told that New England needs more tillers 

 of her brown soil, must produce more food at home, and in this way 

 help in some measure to reduce the cost of living so that it will 

 compare favorably with other populous centers of the land. The 

 more, therefore, we can do to encourage intensive culture of the 

 soil in the production of food crops in our gardens by lectures, 

 advice, and exhibitions, the better will we be following the policy 

 promulgated by the founders of our Society, and the more we will 

 secure and retain the regard of the ever-growing army of amateur 

 gardeners. 



Our slogan might well be "Help New England to feed herself" 

 and with this watchword and an assurance of the great benefits of 

 daylight saving being continued we can reasonably hope for a 

 continued increase in home-grown food products. 



The Committee on Vegetables offers these criticisms in the most 

 friendly spirit with an earnest desire to benefit this honored Society 

 and make it a still greater factor for good in the community. 



