NEW VEGETABLES INTRODUCED. 465 



fruits, indeed, taking for its province almost the 

 whole vegetable kingdom, we cannot expect to find 

 even an approach to completeness at any point. Yet 

 the number of plants collected in our gardens and 

 greenhouses, the new varieties originated or introduced, 

 and the improvements in cultivation, must be far beyond 

 any thing ever imagined by the founders of the Society. 

 The first premium list published, however, indicates one 

 point in which we have not yet attained to their hopes. 

 Premiums were offered for the most successful cultiva- 

 tion of the American Holly, the Magnolia glauca, the 

 Ehododendron maximum, and the Kalmia latifolia ; but 

 the cultivation of these plants has never become gen- 

 eral, though it may be expected that the rhododendron 

 show, designed to promote the cultivation of that plant, 

 will have that effect; and there are indications that 

 the deep interest now shown in collecting and exhibit- 

 ing native plants will soon lead to their more general 

 cultivation. 



Few new species of vegetables have been introduced 

 since the formation of the Society ; but the varieties 

 have been multiplied and improved a hundred fold. 

 As an example, we may take the squash. The only 

 variety for which a premium was offered on the first list 

 was the Winter Crookneck. The rhubarb and tomato, 

 which were not even mentioned, have become universal 

 necessities. It is unnecessary to do more than to allude 

 here to the development of the potato, which has been 

 so often mentioned in the preceding pages. 



" The founders and early members of the Society had 

 enlarged views for its usefulness. Some of their fond 

 expectations, such as experimental gardens, a school of 

 botany and horticulture, monthly publications of essays 



