TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 107 



agricultural and horticultural employments. They are in unison with 

 God's plans, and human nature. At your last festive occasion, oue of the 

 ornaments of our community observed, that "he felt delighted when he 

 saw the laboring man walk through the streets of Boston carrying home a 

 potted plant under his arm, because he felt convinced of the love of nature 

 and virtue that was exhibited," Sir, the mechanic cannot come into com- 

 petition with your rich men's gardens and greenhouses. You have no re- 

 ward to stimulate such humble skill as belongs to the cultivation of the 

 window plant. I have the pleasure to say, that I am authorized by a lib- 

 eral friend to announce a medal at the disposal of this society, for the best 

 single potted plant produced by the mechanic, female, or child, at your 

 next exhibition. I cannot trespass on such an occasion, in this presence ; 

 suffer me to give as a sentiment, — 



The State of Louisiana, — whose representative I am glad is in our 

 assembly. 



The Hon. Mr. Henning, of the Louisiana Bar, said that he was very 

 much obliged to the Society for noticing Louisiana in this manner, and 

 that he was very happy to be present at a festival so interesting in itself, 

 and so honorable to New England. He would give as a sentiment, — 



The Fair of New England, — The brightest flowers in the continent of 

 America. 



The Chair then gave, — 



The Genealogical Tree, — An exotic from the shores of Old England. 

 JVe?y England will always cherish it whilst it produces a Winthrop. 



The Hon. Robert C. "Winthrop replied as follows : — 



I am greatly honored, Mr. President, by the sentiment which you have 

 just offered, and I beg the ladies and gentlemen before me to accept my 

 most grateful acknowledgments for the kindness and cordiality with 

 which they have responded to it. I heartily wish that the compliment 

 were better deserved. I wish that even in reference to matters of Horti- 

 culture, I had done more to keep up the credit of that old Genealogical 

 Tree. One of your anniversary orators told us, some years ago, if I re- 

 member rightly, that among the earliest records in regard to the production 

 of fruit in this neighborhood, was the account of "a good store of pippins," 

 which was forthcoming, upon some occasion, from Governor Winthrop's 

 garden. It would be thought no great things to raise a good store of pip- 

 pins now-a-days, I suppose. But two hundred years ago, it must have 

 been something of an achievement. Our fathers had not many apples to 

 regale themselves with. The fruits to which they were obliged to turn 

 their attention, were of a more substantial and practical character. There 

 is an old song still extant, entitled "Forefather's Song," supposed to have 

 been written in 1630, or thereabouts, which gives us an amusing insight 

 into the Horticultural labors of those early days, and shows us what prod- 



