PLANTS AND FLOWERS IN 1877. 429 



forty species and six varieties of hardy native ferns, 

 grown in his garden ; and at the annual exhibition J. 

 W. Merrill exhibited, besides exotic ferns, sixty-five 

 species and varieties of native ferns cultivated by him. 

 Miss M. E. Carter exhibited on the 8th of September 

 seventy-five species of Composite. The committee re- 

 corded a visit to the grounds of President Parkman, 

 where they saw three thousand seedling phloxes in 

 bloom, many of them surpassing the imported varieties 

 growing in a bed near by. Their attention was also 

 called to a bed of dwarf varieties, not over fifteen inches 

 in height, which Mr. Parkman hoped to reduce to even 

 less. The committee remarked of the gladioli, which 

 formed a very attractive feature of the exhibitions, that 

 the number of varieties was legion, and that they had 

 been brought to such perfection that it would be diffi- 

 cult to improve on them. The committee were grati- 

 fied to see that once most popular of all bedding plants, 

 the verbena, receiving much attention. The popularity 

 of the dahlia had so far revived that on the 6th of Octo- 

 ber it was the most conspicuous feature of the flower 

 department. 



The premium for the best new pot plant at the an- 

 nual exhibition was awarded to H. H. Hunnewell, for a 

 magnificent specimen of Phyllotsenium Lindeni. That 

 for the best specimen plant was awarded to the same 

 gentleman, for Musa superba, and the second, to Hovey 

 & Co., for Cycas revoluta. The best specimen flower- 

 ing plant was the Lapageria alba, from John B. Moore. 

 The prize variegated leaved plants were Anthurium 

 crystallinum, from H. H. Hunnewell, and Phormium 

 Colensoi var., from Hovey & Co. Other new, rare, or 

 finely grown plants were Begonia glaucophylla scandens, 



