EXHIBITIONS IN 1876. 417 



and Cauliflower tribe, for which a prize had been 

 awarded by the committee, the first prize ever given 

 by the Society for an essay. Awards were made for 

 three other papers. The committee reported that the 

 series of meetings for discussion held during the year 

 had confirmed the belief that the establishment of these 

 meetings was the most important step in advance taken 

 by the Society for many years ; while the publication of 

 the discussions had done more to extend the reputation 

 of the Society both at home and abroad than any other 

 action since its formation. The offering of prizes for 

 essays was still looked on as an experiment ; but the 

 committee deemed it so far successful that they asked 

 for a renewal of the appropriation. 



The season of 1876 was favorable to the horticultu- 

 rist, being generally void of extremes ; though in the 

 latter part of July the exhibitions showed the effect of 

 drought. The winter exhibitions grew beyond .the ac- 

 commodations of the library room; that of February 12 

 being undoubtedly the best and largest ever made at 

 that season of the year. Indeed, some of the winter 

 displays were so admirable, that they might almost dis- 

 pute the palm with those of summer. At the azalea 

 exhibition the prize specimen plant was the Stella, from 

 John B. Moore. At the pelargonium exhibition the 

 plants were hardly equal to those shown the previous 

 season; yet they made a brilliant display. In the sho* 

 of 1875 the ornamental foliaged varieties were in the 

 majority ; while this year the flowering kinds predomi- 

 nated. The display of rhododendrons was remarkably 

 fine : in size of truss, perfection of individual flowers, 

 and profusion of bloom, it had never been surpassed. 

 The committee carefully recorded the names of the 



