282 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



volunteer delegation from Berkshire. On the last day 

 of the exhibition a meeting of the Fruit Committee was 

 held for the purpose of testing such of the new fruits 

 exhibited as were in season; many of the delegates 

 from abroad being invited to attend; and the anniver- 

 sary was thus made profitable, as well in the interchange 

 of civilities, as in receiving and imparting much infor- 

 mation on subjects pertaining to horticulture and 

 pomology. 



The exhibition of dahlias on the 2d of October was 

 considered the best ever made in the room. The stands 

 were all filled, and many fine flowers were arranged on 

 the tables. President's Wilder's collection consisted of 

 more than three hundred blooms. Besides the usual 

 premiums, prizes were offered for the best specimen 

 bloom of each of nine different colors. October 30, 

 the Society, on recommendation of the Fruit Committee 

 adopted Rules of American Pomology, which had already 

 been adopted by several horticultural societies, for 

 guidance in naming, describing, and introducing new 

 fruits. By these rules the Catalogue of the London 

 Horticultural Society was established as the standard 

 European authority, and Downing's Fruits and Fruit 

 Trees of America as the standard American authority 

 in regard to the names of fruits. 



The exhibition of camellias on the 12th of February, 

 1848, was unusually fine, Marshall P. Wilder presenting 

 thirty-three varieties, Hovey & Co., sixteen, and John 

 Cadness, from Warren's Garden, twelve. The members 

 of the Society continued their attempts to produce im- 

 proved varieties by hybridizing ; President Wilder ex- 

 hibiting, at the opening of the hall, on the 12th of May, 

 a fine seedling Rhododendron between R. campanula- 



