FLOWER committee's REPORT. 17 



on bits of stone, wood, and bark, and in a variety of costumes, too numerous 

 to mention. 



The largest contributors of cut flowers have been Hovey & Co., Antane 

 Apple, James McTear, James Nugent, Eliphalet Stone, William C. Strong, 

 William H. Spooner, Jr.. Franklin Winship, Martin Trautman, and, late in 

 the season, Barnes & Washburn. 



Hyacinths have only been shown in displays of cut flowers. 



Pansies : Nothing new, or any marked improvement. 



Specimen plants have never been finer. 



Tulips : The same old story. Does any one now grow a show tulip r 



Hardy azaleas : How is it we never get a good display of this beautiful 

 shrub ? 



Shrubby pseonies : First prize to Marshall P. Wilder, -who, having the 

 largest plants and the greatest variety, always makes the best display. 



Herbaceous paeonies are improving. Some of the new varieties are addi- 

 tions, and others are quite as good as the older kinds. 



Pinks : Not one shown for premium. Shall a lack of exhibitors lead us 

 to withdraw the prize ? 



Rhododendrons: Only shown in collections of cut flowers. 



Of roses we have spoken in describing the rose show. Tender roses 

 have been shown in great variety, and there are some new kinds which 

 promise well. Gloire de Dijon holds its own as one of the best, — a mag- 

 nificent flower and a free bloomer. 



Summer phloxes : The blooms were destroyed previous to the exhibition 

 by a severe rain storm, and none were shown worthy of the premium. 



Carnations and picotees, though not as fine as last year, were very good. 

 The exhibitors were Hovey & Co., Jonathan French, and James Nugent. 



Hollyhocks were very fine. The best were shown by Evers & Comley, 

 Hovey & Co., and William H. Spooner, Jr. 



Gloxinias have been neglected, though fine plants of choice varieties 

 have been shown by William C. Strong; and cut flowers of many beautiful 

 kinds by Antane Apple. 



Autumn phloxes were shown in variety by Joseph Breck, Hovey & Co , 

 Antane Apple, and Barnes & Washburn. The quality remains as in pre- 

 vious years. 



Petunias: A fine display by Hovey & Co. and by Martin Trautman. 

 The double seedlings of the latter are equal to any of the imported varie- 

 ties, and well worthy of general cultivation. 



Gladiolus, gandavensis and floribundus varieties. The past season has 

 witnessed great improvement in this beautiful flower. How little was it 

 thought, when the now-seldom-seen Gladiolus natalensis or psittacinus was 

 introduced with such a flourish of trumpets and as something wonderful, 

 that such perfect flowers, specimens of beauty, could be originated ? 

 Choice collections have been displayed by William H. Spooner, Jr., Barnes 

 & Washburn, Hovey & Co., Joseph Breck, and Antane Apple. 



German asters : Very good, though not as fine as the previous year. In 

 some places, the hot, dry weather parched up the flowers. Some pretty 

 new varieties have been shown by Joseph Breck. 

 2 



