ANNUAL EXHIBITION, 1860. 323 



fruits and flowers were exceedingly fine, particularly the 

 asters. 



The thirty-second annual exhibition, on the 18th to 

 the 21st of September, was held in the Music Hall, and 

 was one of the most beautiful as well as most successful 

 which the Society ever made. The hall was crowded 

 with a throng of visitors the entire four days. The 

 arrangement was somewhat different from that of pre- 

 vious years : the centre one of the five long tables being 

 exchanged for a platform only a foot high, on which the 

 collections of plants were placed ; and this platform was 

 intersected in the centre by a beautiful fountain. On 

 the stage, where previously the plants were arranged, 

 stands were erected for cut flowers, which were com- 

 pletely filled ; and in front of these the rare specimen 

 plants were placed. From this position the effect was 

 magnificent, the silvery plumes of the pampas grass 

 towering up from among the plants, and on either side 

 the caladiums, begonias, and other elegant variegated 

 plants, forming a combination of silver, emerald, bronze, 

 and gold, entirely novel in a horticultural exhibition. 

 Among the most prominent plants were the Pteris 

 argyraea and P. tricolor, Cyanophyllum magnificum, 

 C. Assamicum and Gynerium argenteum, from Hovey'& 

 Co., Maranta zebrina, from G. G. Hubbard, and Maran- 

 ta fasciata, from Evers & Comley. None of those 

 monstrosities called floral designs were shown ; but in- 

 stead, there were " a number of neat pretty little bas- 

 kets, showing into what dainty contrasts flowers could 

 be arranged, and what pretty effects could be produced 

 by skilful fingers." 



The display of fruit was, without any doubt , the finest 

 ever made by the Society up to that time. There were 



