1895.] TRANSACTIONS. 9 



in late Spring, recorded the bestowal, through our congressmen, 

 of Flower and Field Seeds, by the " sack full," upon local 

 fanners. It speaks well for the fair repute of our members as 

 Florists, Pomologists, or market gardeners, that no such rub- 

 bish has been dumped upon their premises, or left to waste as 

 ofial for city pigs. Dealers in clean, healthy seed have a right 

 to be guarded from competition that is reckless of consequences 

 and heedless of cost, because backed, itself, by the public treas- 

 ury ! That a great light shall at last become visible in Wash- 

 ington is matter for general rejoicing. When the General 

 Government can confine its functions within their proper sphere 

 of exercise it will be better for all of us who avoid the local 

 almshouse and do not hanker for national dole. The member 

 of this Society who consents to be a recipient of Federal bounty, 

 to the exclusion of his fellows, perpetrates a public wrong and 

 underlies individual reproach. Howsoever brought about, let 

 us be exceedingly glad that this glaring shame is at last to be 

 covered from our gaze ! The conclusion of Secretary Morton, 

 sustained as he is by a formal opinion of the Attorney General, 

 that it is no part of the legitimate business of the Department of 

 Agriculture to distribute seeds any more than their product, is 

 generally commended by the press that takes special cognizance 

 of seed-time and harvest. A spiteful kick is threatened from a 

 Congressional District in our own Commonwealth, although cu- 

 rious stories are in circulation about those Representative heels 

 and the force of their repulsion. It is not to be denied, if Pan- 

 em el Gircenses are to be distributed throughout the Republic, 

 that a very acceptable form of dole in every kitchen might be 

 found in stove polish. Yet the stove itself is but a present con- 

 venience, which gas or electricity are likely soon to supplant. 

 Will it not be better for each tub to stand on its own bottom ? 

 Each pot to be content with its own hue without blackguarding 

 the kettle? Each o-ran^er to earn a living, like his fathers be- 

 fore him, by hoeing his own row ! 



The display of our Native Flowers, throughout the 

 season just past, has been a most gratifying and marked 

 feature of our Weekly Exhibitions. In this connection 



