6 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1887. 



reporters see a pretty sizable hall, a considerable length of table, 

 a greater or less display of flowers, or fruit, as the case may be; 

 and, observing that there is space unoccupied, juuap at the con- 

 clusion that the exhibition under review must be, comparatively, 

 a failure. It is not obvious, at a glance, that the competition 

 does not represent the whole field of local pomology. That, even 

 in this city, the exhibits are drawn from detached gardens in 

 which a few choice varieties struggle with each other for the 

 restricted room and scant nourishment. Take, for illustration, 

 our latest Exhibition save one ! On the 20th of October, our 

 Schedule called for only three [3] kinds of Apples and for four 

 [4] of Pears. But the specimens, of which few were decidedly 

 inferior, covered a table that extended the entire length of the 

 Hall. In the olden time it would have required "the largest and 

 best collection " to make a display one-half as large. When 

 there are twenty [20] competitors, under one number in the 

 Schedule; and this too for weeks in succession, as varieties of 

 superior excellence mature, may we not safely claim to have 

 transcended the limits of theory and to rest upon the sure found- 

 ations of actual trial and achievement ? The lot that endures 

 inspection, here, well enough to win even our lowest premiums, 

 may fearlessly challenge rivalr}^ from the vaunted first prize 

 takers of more pretentious associations. In the vineyards of 

 Horticulture, as in those of the Saints, — many are called, some 

 are self-bidden, — but few are chosen ! 



The experiment of holding monthly, instead of weekly. Exhi- 

 bitions, during the vernal season, as suggested by your Secretary, 

 was tried in March and April last, with gratifying success. If 

 May were included in the system, it is believed that you would 

 thereby promote the best interests of the Society. In that month, 

 the votaries of Flora have little to show ; and ofiierings upon the 

 altar of Pomona, in the very nature of things, must be stale. 

 Professional florists have cleared out the stock from their green- 

 houses, and cannot, if better disposed than they have shown 

 themselves of late, contribute much of note. Amateurs are busy, 

 planning for out-door work ; being glad enough to get once more 

 into the open air, whither the market has long since preceded 

 them. There is but a restricted field, at best, from which to 



