REVIEW OF PROGRESS, 1844. 269 



with that in fruits and flowers. This was doubtless 

 owing in some degree to the comparatively small amount 

 appropriated in premiums. Yet many fine specimens 

 of cabbages, cauliflowers, broccolis, lettuces, celery, 

 asparagus, rhubarb, tomatoes, and other delicious vege- 

 tables, bore witness to great improvement in this depart- 

 ment. The rhubarb and tomato were then acquiring 

 that popularity which now makes them, especially the 

 tomato, necessaries of life. Perhaps the most impor- 

 tant new vegetable introduced was the Marrow squash. 

 The value of even a single acquisition of this character 

 will be appreciated, if we imagine ourselves deprived 

 of this standard variety and all the improved kinds that 

 have succeeded it. 



During the period 'we have reviewed, the weekly and 

 annual exhibitions were greatly indebted for their suc- 

 cess to the labors of the various members of the com- 

 mittees on fruits, flowers, and vegetables, and of the 

 committee of arrangements. To specify the names 

 of even the most active would occupy too much room ; 

 but we cannot omit to mention the name of one whose 

 services were pre-eminently valuable in this respect, 

 Samuel Walker, who held the position of chairman 

 of the committee on flowers from 1836 to 1840, and 

 again in 1843, after which he was chairman of the 

 fruit committee until he became president in 1849, and 

 who was also chairman of the committee of arrange- 

 ments from 1837 to 1845. From the time of the first 

 annual exhibition in Faneuil Hall, in 1834, this last 

 named committee was a very large and important one, 

 frequently consisting of from twenty-five to forty-five 

 members, and apparently comprising all the active 

 working force of the Society. In 1845 the number 



