Domestic JVotices. 353 



Art. Ill, Domestic Notices. 



Essex County Natural History Society. — This Society has com- 

 menced with its exhibitions of flowers and tVnits. We have been kindly 

 furnished uith a report of the first meeting, and are promised an ac- 

 count of all the fine things which may be presented for exhibition 

 throughout the season. We shall give them all in connection in our 

 December number, ])referring to do so, rather than to give them in de- 

 tached portions. As this was the first exhibition of the season, we give 

 the following from the report sent us: — " The mildness and lavorable 

 state of the weather, not only of this day, [June 5,] but of those pre- 

 ceding, conspired to render this exhibition very interesting. Here were 

 grouped together the showy plants of our gardens and green-houses, 

 and the modest and humble species of the woods and meadows. The 

 cactus, with its cluster of gorgeous and rich flowers, detracted nothing 

 from the delicate arethusa; and the sweet-scented eglantine lost none 

 of its charms in being compared with its more showy congeners, the va- 

 rieties of our gardens." The contributors were Mrs. J. D. Treadwell, 

 Mrs. E. S. Peabody, Miss A. D. Rogers, Messrs. V. Putnam, Wm. F. 

 Gardner, Andrew Nichols, Wm. P. Richardson, J. M. Ives, E. L. 

 Page, H. Wheatland, and John Gardner. Mr. F. Putnam present- 

 ed a great variety of roses, and a specimen of Pxbnia albiflora 

 Reevesu, (see p. 287.) Our correspondent will confer a favor by 

 sending his reports in early. — Cond. 



Doivner Cherry. — We have been presented, by the grower of this 

 most supeiior fruit, Mr. S. Downer, of Dorchester, with some speci- 

 mens, which equalled, in size and quality, any we have ever tasted. 

 This variety was produced from seed, many years since, and the old 

 tree has-now attained a great size, and the variety is very generally dis- 

 tributed throughout the country, through the medium of the nurseries. 

 Every season the old tree has produced an abundant crop. The fruit 

 ripens among the latest sorts, and, from its size, beauty, delicacy, and 

 rich taste, deserves to be ranked among the finest that have ever been 

 produced. We intend to give some history of this tree in a future num- 

 ber. — Cond. 



Private Exhibition of Floivers at Philadelphia. — A kind of converza- 

 iione or private exhibition, among the florists of our city and vicinity, 

 w%as held on Tuesday evening, Aug. 15i;h, at the Athenajum, in South 

 Fifth Street, where the gaudy dahlia was among the most conspicu- 

 ous of the flowers exhibited. Mr. Buist showed some magnificent »]ic- 

 cimens. {Sat. Cour.) We are glad to see private exhil)itions of the 

 dahlia take place, and we hope the amateurs of Boston and vicinity will 

 adopt the same method of exhibiting this magnificent flower. — Cond. 



New Seedling Pansy. — A splendid new variety of the pansy has been 

 raised from seed by Mr. Charles Buel, of Albany. The parent was 

 Monk's Conqueror, a very beautiful variety. — Cond. 



Fountains in the Public Squares in Philadelphia. — We learn from the 

 Saturday Courier, that a marble basin and fountain are to ite ])lare(l in 

 the Franklin Square, in that city. We have often wondered, that, with 

 the su]»ply of water which the celebrated water works of the city af- 

 ford, fountains have not been before constructed. They will add great- 

 ly to the coolness and freshness of that beautiful city promenade. We 

 hope that when the water project of the corjioration of the city of 

 Boston shall have been completed ! some effort will be made to 

 ei'ect a fountain on the beautiful piece of ground generally called the 

 Boston common ( !) But this is perhaps anticipating too much; in mat- 



VOL. III. NO. IX. 45 



