154 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



uses of the Society. The services on this occasion were 

 most interesting and inspiring ; and the character and 

 ability of those who conducted them, the beauty of the 

 hall, the season of the year, the floral decorations, and 

 the brilliant assembly of ladies and gentlemen that 

 crowded the hall, all combined to make the event one 

 which will never be forgotten by any present. The 

 floral decorations, arranged with admirable taste by 

 David Haggerston, William Quant, and Alexander Mc- 

 Lennan, made the hall glow like a garden, and filled 

 it with their fragrance. Among them were superb 

 specimen plants of acacias and fuchsias from the presi- 

 dent of the Society; splendid pelargoniums from Mr. 

 Quant, gardener to Thomas H. Perkins, and from the 

 conservatory of John P. Gushing, by Mr. Haggerston ; 

 a gorgeous Madame Desprez rose tree ten feet high, 

 and covered with hundreds of blooms, from Samuel 

 Sweetser ; ericas, cactuses, and other small plants, from 

 William Meller ; and baskets of flowers, and bouquets 

 of great beauty and variety, from Miss Russell, Azell 

 Bowditch, and others. 



The members of the Society generally, with their 

 ladies, and various invited guests, filled the room. 

 Among those upon the platform with the president of 

 the Society were John Quincy Adams, ex-president 

 of the United States ; Gov. George N. Briggs, Lieut. 

 Gov. John Reed, Ex-Gov. Samuel T. Armstrong, Ex- 

 Mayor Martin Brimmer, Hon. James Arnold, Hon. 

 Samuel Hoar, Hon. Samuel H. Walley, Jun.,and others. 



The exercises consisted of a brief introductory ad- 

 dress by the president, Marshall P. Wilder; reading 

 from the Scriptures by the Rev. George Putnam ; prayer 

 by the Rev. William M. Rogers; an original song, 



