FLOWER committee's REPORT. 7 



" No person shall be a competitor for more than one prize of a kind, 

 unless the flowers exhibited in the second stand shown for premium shall 

 be of different varieties from those in the first stand; and where two col- 

 lections are offered for premium by the same exhibitor, containing the same 

 varieties, the Committee reserve the right to reject either or both stands, 

 and withhold the premium." 



And perhaps an example will best explain its purport. There are prizes 

 for the best twenty-five, the best fifteen, and the best ten named varieties 

 of Hardy Perpetual Roses ; suppose Rose Giant of Battles was shown in 

 the stand of twenty-five ; it could not be shown in either the stand of 

 fifleen or ten without disqualifying those stands or all three of the stands, 

 at the discretion of the Committee. 



As this rule has to many appeared unfair, it may be stated that its object 

 is to enable the small growers to compete with some chance of success 

 with those who can cut flowers from large gardens. 



Gratuities, as heretofore, will be awarded for exhibitions of merit, when 

 the funds in the hands of the Committee will allow, but by the rules of the 

 Society no flowers entered for premium can compete for gratuity ; and 

 gratuities will not be awarded unless the exhibitions are of superior merit, 

 or disqualified from entering for premium through no fault of the exhibitor. 



The Committee would also urge upon exhibitors the necessity of handing 

 a written list of their contributions to the Chairman, especially if they wish 

 a full notice in the printed Report ; as usual, any new, rare or fine contri- 

 bution will be fully noticed, but it is impossible for the Chairman, upon 

 whom all this labor devolves, to describe particularly or even to mention 

 each small contribution, or the flowers which compose the larger ; by send- 

 ing at any time within a week after each exhibition to the Chairman Avritten 

 lists of contributions, much trouble and cause of complaint will be avoided. 



It has been the practice of many exhibitors, in competing for prizes for 

 collections of pot plants, to offer the requisite number of plants, but of only 

 a few species or varieties ; and very often the very kinds exhibited were 

 those for which special premiums are offered by the Society, such, for 

 instance, as Azaleas, Ericas, &ic. It is not the intention of the Committee 

 to make any special rule, but it may be well to observe, that in awarding 

 the prizes for collections, a preference will be given to those containing 

 the greatest number of species, and those of a class for which no special 

 premiums are offered. 



During the past season the Rose Show was a decided success ; the cool 

 moist weather, though unfavorable to the pecuniary success of the Exhi- 

 bition, was very favorable for preserving the beauty of the flowers. It is 

 a matter of regret that so few were able to witness the show on account of 

 a continued storm, but none could have departed dissatisfied, for a finer 

 display of this queen of flowers was never held in our city. 



The Committee would recommend the same liberal premiums for another 

 year, as they deem it of the highest importance that such shows should be 

 encouraged, not only for their beauty but for the high moral influence 

 which they cannot fail to exert upon the community. 



