S4 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCItTT. 



lady, whose wealth and taste enable her to place npon our tables speci- 

 mens of Rare Exotics, which we seldom have the privilege otherwise 

 to enjoy. Everything which comes from her grounds is of the very 

 highest order, and grown to the utmost pei-fection. May she long con- 

 tinue to favor us in this direction. Another very important feature with 

 us, is the progress of artificial hybridization. Many of our grow- 

 ers are giving it much attention, and we are reaping glorious results. 

 AVe are now independent of the French in the Gladiolus, having pro- 

 duced very many of beauty equal to the best imported ones. They grow 

 freely from seed and give a sure return for tlie care bestowed upon them. 

 We have had this season, seedlings in endless variety, many of a de- 

 gree of beauty which, a few years ago, we had not even dreamed of see- 

 ing, come they from whatever source. So also of Pinks, Lilies, and a 

 variety of other things, which may teach us that nature's laws work as 

 unerringly in our hands as elsewhere. We fear that we have not given 

 the encouragement to this matter which its importance demands. Why 

 should not our people be willing to labor for the production of these 

 tilings, which yield so freely of interest and pleasure in their develop- 

 ment, rather than take them ready-made from abroad. 



During last year prizes were offered for Herbaceous Perennials 

 exclusively as such. But as is too often the case, when specific days for 

 exhibition are not fixed, the displays were not uniformly good. This 

 3'ear the days for those of both S2:)ring and summer blooming were indi- 

 cated, and although contributors were few, yet the result has been more 

 satisfactory. It is hoped that this very important branch of floriculture 

 will become a more prominent feature in our future exhibitions. 



On the 15th of August, we had presented to us a deep rose colored 

 Pond Lily, brought from Ilj-annis. It possessed all the beauties of 

 form, and the fragrance of the wdiite one, in fact, resembled it every way, 

 except in color. Our notice of it at the time, met the eye of a lady in 

 Rochester, X. II., who kindly sent us other specimens, in various shades 

 from deep rose to pure white. She assured us that the roots were a few 

 years ago taken from the Cocheco river, Avhere none other than white 

 were ever seen; that these were then also white; that afterward, these 

 gradually changed, until now the rose color predominates with her. If 

 these are cases of hybridization, the question arises, what with? and if a 

 flport, how shall we account for itV The subject is one worthy the atten- 

 tion of the scientific and curious in such matters. 



As a whole, our exhibition season may be considered a successful one. 

 A good degree of unanimity has prevailed in the decisions of the Com- 

 mittee, which have been met by a cheerful acquiescence on the part of 

 contributors. Weekly reports have been prepared, and published by one 

 of our evening papers, which, if they had no further merit, served to 



