EXHIBITIONS IN" 1862. 331 



continued and unabated interest in that department. 

 Many new and rare species and varieties of greenhouse 

 plants graced the weekly shows. Ferns and lycopods 

 had become so popular as to be recognized by the offer 

 of a premium. Among vegetables the tomato particu- 

 larly was shown in numerous varieties and a high de- 

 gree of perfection. 



The Flower Committee having been greatly troubled 

 by the ignorance as to what constitutes a perfect flower, 

 a pamphlet describing the properties of plants and 

 flowers was compiled by the committee, which was 

 published by the Society, as the standard for judging. 



At the opening exhibition, on the 31st of May, 

 although cut flowers were shown in considerable quan- 

 tities, the plants were few, and contributed by a very 

 small number of growers, and, as a whole, the exhibition 

 was the smallest for some years. In 1858 and the fol- 

 lowing years, four prizes were offered for the best spe- 

 cimen plants at this exhibition ; but the names of the 

 successful specimens were not recorded until this year, 

 when the first and second were taken by Edward S. 

 Rand, with Medinilla magnifica and Alocasia metallica ; 

 the third, by Hovey & Co., with Ropala Corcovadensis ; 

 and the fourth, by Mr. Rand, with Maranta regalis. 

 At the rose show, on the 21st of June, the number of 

 contributors was much smaller than usual ; but the roses 

 were never presented in finer condition. The Hybrid 

 Perpetuals especially continued to increase in number, 

 and grew in favor, as the improved kinds, of fine form 

 and brilliant color, superseded the old varieties. The 

 show of strawberries was very fine : six berries of 

 Admiral Dundas weighed four and five-eighths ounces. 

 On the 12th of July, Spooner & Parkman exhibited 



