284 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the North American Pomological Convention, which 

 held its first meeting at Buffalo, N.Y., on the 1st of 

 September, 1848 (the united societies being known as 

 the American Pomological Society), has effected more for 

 the advancement of pomology than any other association 

 in the world, and its publications have become a standard 

 authority on the subject. 



The annual exhibition, on the 19th, 20th, and 21st 

 of September, was the greatest effort that had ever been 

 made by the Society. The experience of the last three 

 years having shown that their own hall was insufficient 

 for the annual show, it was determined to hold it in 

 Faneuil Hall. The old hall was beautifully and taste- 

 fully decorated for the occasion, the galleries being 

 filled with a grove of large exotics and evergreens, and 

 the columns hung with wreaths. The panels of the 

 gallery bore the names of distinguished horticulturists, 

 as at the festival of 1845 ; while at the head of the hall 

 were the names of the presidents and benefactors of the 

 Society, and the walls were inscribed with poetical 

 mottoes. A more magnificent collection of fruit had 

 never been offered for inspection in this country ; and it 

 is doubtful whether it had ever been surpassed by the 

 exhibition of any society in Europe. As to quantity, it 

 was so great, that six large tables the whole length of 

 the hall were hardly sufficient to contain it. The vari- 

 ety of pears was immensely large ; and while it included 

 many kinds of no interest in an exhibition, except ^to 

 show that they were unworthy of cultivation, many of 

 the dishes were filled with large and perfect specimens 

 of the finest kinds. The display of apples also was 

 without a parallel, embracing a great number of varie- 

 ties, some of them very beautiful, and most of them of 



