1889.] TKANSACTIONS. 15 



tofore renowned for its poraological skill and success, does it not 

 behoove nsto look at home and see if the fanlt docs not lie at our 

 own door and not at the throne of God ! For if at our own door 

 self-conviction will be the first step towards amendment. If scale, 

 blight or crack, with the worse than Egyptian plethora of insects, 

 are tiie divine penalty for neglect and sloth, we shall at least 

 have the option of mending onr ways as we bow in conscious sub- 

 mission beneath the rod that smites us. 



A Horticultural Society that is worthy of the name cannot 

 insist too strenuously that quality shall govern the bestowal of 

 its awards. The Society itself is composed of those who 

 already know a good thing from actual experience, and of others 

 who became members because, having seen an exhibition of what 

 was superior to their own, they naturally wished to grow it in 

 their own gardens. They desired flowers to cut for the adorn- 

 ment of their living rooms, and fruits wherewith to appease 

 those youthful api>etitcs that were too keen to await the Thanks- 

 giving turkey. Their roses may not comply with the scale of 

 technical perfection, nor be fit to compete against professional 

 florists, in a class of twelve pet whims ! But if the petals of their 

 home-raised flowers should chance to be slightly fretted by wind 

 and storm, their owners would at least have flowers not too choice 

 for personal or domestic ornament ; while upon fragrance they 

 would be sure to insist, as a sine qua non. Nature, which 

 created Jumbo as an exception among elephants, also imposes 

 bulk upon the cabbage and squash. But the size alone of 

 Her Majesty confers no lasting supremacy among roses; nor 

 do symmetry, color and perfume fail to retain their tenacious 

 hold uj^on the popular taste. How often has Jacqueminot been 

 left ofl' from selected lists. How invariably do the people rally 

 in its behalf, and by their instinctive if untrained preference, vin- 

 dicate the ancient adage co-eval witli the very birth of Democ- 

 racy, that a good many are apt to be wiser than a very few ! 



As matter of fact, have we not actually retrograded in the 

 cultivation of fruits? What does Olean Street show to-day, com- 

 pared with its superb exhibition of a few years ago ? One of 



