FORTY-SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY. 415 



but from the first of June onward, and especially at the 

 annual exhibition, the displays were extensive, and of 

 excellent quality. At the rose and strawberry shows 

 the exhibitions of peas were unusually fine, and com- 

 prised several new varieties. The Hathaway's Excel- 

 sior and Emery tomatoes were shown for the first time. 

 The display of potatoes at the annual exhibition, both 

 of collections of the standard kinds and of new varie- 

 ties, was remarkably fine. The quality of the articles 

 shown more nearly approached perfection than before ; 

 and it was hoped that the rage for coarse, overgrown 

 vegetables, had gone by. 



Since the year 1848 the anniversary of the Society 

 had been marked only by the annual exhibition, and a 

 dinner, at the expense of the Society, for the Commit- 

 tee of Arrangements and a few invited guests, on the 

 day after the annual exhibition. This year it was 

 thought advisable to change this plan, and to provide a 

 dinner to which all the members of the Society, with 

 ladies, should be admitted ; which was accordingly 

 given in the upper hall, at the close of the annual 

 exhibition, on Saturday, September 25, being the first 

 time that the Society had ever met in a social gathering 

 under its own roof. No attempt was made to rival the 

 triennial festivals of former days, the occasion being 

 rather a modest family gathering ; but invitations were 

 sent to all the more prominent benefactors of the 

 Society, or their representatives. Other invited guests 

 were his Excellency Governor Gas ton, Rev. James 

 Freeman Clarke, Professor Asa Gray, and Judge John 

 P. Putnam of the Superior Court. The platform in 

 the rear of the guests' table was covered with tropical 

 plants, and the Ger mania Band was stationed in the 



