18 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Verbenas have not done remarkably well. The show, however, was 

 fair, the trusses good, and blooms large. The only seedling of merit we 

 have seen is a blue or rather purple variety, raised by J. F. C. Hyde. While 

 it wants many of the marks of a perfect flower, it has much to recommend 

 it. The color is new, the habit good, and it is the most fragrant verbena 

 we are acquainted with. It is well worthy of a further trial. 



Dahlias have been less exhibited than formerly, and seem to be slowly 

 going out of popular favor. As we predicted two years ago, their place 

 will be filled by hollyhocks and gladiolus, of both of which the new varie- 

 ties are magnificent, while the dahlia remains almost in statu quo. The 

 flowers exhibited were all good — those of Hovey &l Co. excelling in form 

 and color, those of Barnes &- Washburn in size. The prize was awarded 

 to the latter under a mistake, and the error discovered when too late to 

 alter the award. Size is the last thing to be considered in judging a show 

 flower; both form and color take precedence. Some very good blooms 

 were exhibited by James Nugent. 



Achimenes have not been exhibited. This flower is of too delicate a 

 nature to bear transportation to the exhibition room ; its proper place is in 

 the greenhouse, where alone it can be seen to perfection. 



The success of eflTorts of the last year should only stimulate us to more 

 earnest zeal for the future ; and we trust that while another year may in- 

 troduce to us many novelties in the floral, it will not, like the past, be 

 marked by a neglect of old and well proved favorites. 



The Committee take pleasure in laying before the Society the following 

 articles on floriculture : — 



Introduced Plants, by Charles J. Sprague. 



A few Notes on Orchids, compiled by the Chairman. 



INTRODUCED PLANTS, 



BY CHARLES J. SPRAGUE. 



While busily occupied in the energetic and absorbing attempts which 

 we make to increase the size and splendor of our garden and greenhouse 

 exotics, or to double the weight and girth of our vegetables, we are apt to 

 ignore, or at least neglect, points of botanical interest, which, though more 

 specially connected with the theory of the science, are still worthy the 

 attention of all interested in the pursuit. Among these is the occurrence 

 of foreign plants in our fields and by our roadsides. At first sight this 

 does not seem to possess any particular interest, and yet the establishment 

 of the period of introduction of any plant into a country distant from its 

 native habitat is of no little importance to Botanical Geography. The sub- 

 ject has elicited the attention and careful study of some of the first minds 

 employed in the study of botanical science. It has now become a matter 



