THE EXHIBITIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 467 



Davis's Seedling and Early Rose potatoes, on which the 

 Society has, by means of these prizes, placed the stamp 

 of its approval. Many less important products have re- 

 ceived awards proportioned to their value. And, besides 

 thus adding to our stock these improved varieties, the 

 Society has been the means of shedding light on the 

 principles governing their production, and especially of 

 proving the fallacy of the idea, formerly entertained, that 

 seedlings from the improved varieties of pears and other 

 fruits revert to a wild state, and of showing, that, while 

 it may be difficult to produce a distinct variety of supe- 

 rior merit, it is easy to produce kinds possessing many 

 excellent characteristics. 



No society has held a higher standard in estimating 

 the quality of the productions submitted to its judgment, 

 or exercised a severer taste in regard to the designs 

 exhibited. Nor has any society been more careful to 

 discard all extraneous assistance, or to avoid any attrac- 

 tions other than those connected with horticulture, in its 

 exhibitions ; and to this course may be largely attribut- 

 ed the success which has constantly attended its shows. 



The exhibitions of the Society, bringing together the 

 most beautiful productions of the earth, have been a 

 source of refined enjoyment to all* who have beheld 

 them, and, if they had had no other end than to afford 

 such pleasure, they would have recompensed the Society 

 for all the labor and expense incurred. But to take 

 only this view of them would be doing the Society great 

 injustice. They should be looked at as opportunities for 

 instruction to all who visit them, and as the indices of 

 improvements in the gardens of exhibiters. Exclusive 

 attention may, however, have been bestowed by the 

 successful competitor for a premium upon one produc- 



