EXHIBITIONS IN 1863. 335 



The prizes for gardens were omitted. The Society, 

 following the example of the Royal Horticultural and 

 Eoyal Botanic Societies of London, voted to prepare 

 Certificates of Merit of three classes, to be given for 

 the exhibition of new, rare, and beautiful plants and 

 flowers, and new fruits and vegetables, for seedlings of 

 unusual merit, and for superior skill in cultivation. 



The opening exhibition, on May 30, was very good. 

 The greenhouse plants were well grown, and attracted 

 much attention. The first prize for the best specimen 

 plant was awarded to James Comley,' for Ananassa 

 sativa variegata; the second, to James McTear, for Aphe- 

 lexis sesamoides ; the third, to Hovey & Co., for Coleus 

 VerschafFeltii, which was shown for the first time ; and 

 the fourth, to James Nugent, for Hydrangea Japonica 

 variegata. Dennis Murray exhibited one hundred and 

 ninety-four named species of fungi, several of which 

 were discovered by him. The rose show, on the 27th 

 of June, was one of the best ever made, especially for 

 Hybrid Perpetuals. This year witnessed the commence- 

 ment of those profuse and beautiful displays of seedling 

 gladioli which now form so prominent a feature of our 

 exhibitions through August and September. The prizes 

 for this flower had previously been confined to collec- 

 tions of ten varieties ; but this year there were added 

 prizes for the best twenty varieties and for the best 

 display. At the weekly exhibitions early in the season 

 the shows of forced fruits mostly grapes, with some 

 peaches and cherries compared well with those of 

 previous years ; but later in the season the shows of 

 fruits grown in the open air were not of an equally 

 satisfactory character, either as to the number of ex- 

 hibiters, the number of varieties, or the quantity of 



