12 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1895. 



in their manifold forms ; Pjrus Malus Parkmanni and Syringa 

 Japonica ; how little could our Founders anticipate the floral 

 treasures that should so soon be spread out before them as they 

 gaze in almost speaking likeness from yonder walls ! And if 

 in number and variety the gain is so distinct, what may we not 

 likewise claim as to the marked advance of our members in skill 

 and taste of arrangement ! Our early equipment has become obso- 

 lete ; only suitable and serviceable for such jam and litter of Mar- 

 igold and Zinnia as are heaped together by Societies whose chief 

 care is the accumulation of shekels. We too might display the 

 monkey and parrot ! and possibly by so doing earn the bounty 

 of the commonwealth. Yet we have elected, hitherto, to " Ad- 

 vance the Science and promote the Practice of Horticulture ;" 

 and, as we measure our past service, wherefrom, because of lo- 

 cal rivalry, shall wc find occasion or cause to abate jot or tittle 

 from our lofty aspiration? Understand me thoroughly, Horti- 

 culturists ! as the sciolists of the daily prei?s do not or cannot, 

 either purposely or from deficiency of mental pollen. A hearty 

 laugh is good in its way ; and there are proper times when it 

 may be elicited from a double somersault or grotesque buffoon- 

 ery. Those of us who, aforetime, had a ninepence given us to 

 spend at Cattle Show cannot well take exceptions to the antics 

 and capers which draw plaudits and gate-money in these latter 

 days. But they are not Horticulture ! nor Agriculture, it is to 

 be hoped. And, as rivals of the circus, can it be pretended for 

 a moment that such "attractions" are to be classed with the 

 orderly trained display of Bailey or the Ringlings ! Still Horti- 

 culturists are taxed, in common with other citizens, to raise the 

 bounty which the General Court is fooled to believe goes to ad- 

 vance the better cultivation of our farms ! If that is to be the 

 quality of tuition who can wonder that farms are abandoned ? 



Few can have attended our later Exhibitions, — during the 

 current year especially, but must have observed the decided 

 improvement in the character of flowers, and as well in the 

 grace of their arrangement. A pretty feature, peculiar to our 

 most recent schedule, has been an encouragement of the display, 

 loosely, of the more conspicuous varieties. Thus, for example, 



