312 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



lias, had also been fine. The change which a few years 

 had wrought in some of these flowers was both striking 

 and gratifying, and its extent might be in some degree 

 appreciated by contrasting the prize asters of only half 

 a decade since with the perfect and very beautiful 

 specimens that this season filled the prize stands of the 

 Society. Yet the committee regretted that no incon^ 

 siderable portion of this progress was due to the skill 

 of foreign cultivators, and expressed the hope that 

 liberal encouragement would be given by the Society 

 to the production by our florists of new seedling flowers. 



The Committee on Vegetables also reported increased 

 interest in every thing relating to that department. 

 In fruits the committee mentioned the Washington 

 Strawberry apple and the Rebecca grape, as new and 

 promising introductions. The prospective prize of 

 the Lyman plate was awarded to Isaac Fay for the best 

 seedling strawberry, the Jenny Lind. A very large 

 number of new European strawberries was exhibited by 

 Hovey & Co., among which the Admiral Dundas was 

 remarkable for its size, eighteen weighing a pound ; 

 while the Sir Harry received the first prize as being 

 superior in flavor to any other variety of the season. 



The winter of 1856 and 1857 was of unusual severity, 

 causing much injury to fruit trees ; and the spring was 

 cold and backward, the fruit crop being much lessened 

 by the unpropitious weather during the time of setting. 

 The season was also unfavorable for floriculture, and 

 the weekly shows consequently disappointed the hopes 

 of cultivators. But, in spite of all discouragements, the 

 displays were most gratifying in the growth of specimen 

 plants and in the new and improved varieties of flow- 

 ers. The shows were kept up as usual in the library 



