1871.] FESTIVAL OF COMMEMORATION. 37 



leave liim in a mood to " dwell in marble " or even horticultural halls. 

 He regretted that he was not to be present to greet the father of Amer- 

 ican pomology (Col. Wilder,) and sent in a sentiment — "The President 

 of our Society ! One of the original corporators I After the lapse of 

 an entire generation, we present him, this day, among our ' single 

 specimens, ' — ' primus inter 2^ai'tis / ' " 



Col. Wilder here supplemented his former remarks with a short but 

 feeling allusion to his love, from boyhood, of fruits and Howers and 

 everything pertaining to rural life. 



Henky H. Chamberlin", Esq., spoke briefly, concluding with the 

 facetious opinion that the talk about improvement in fruit was all gam- 

 mon, for after all the attempts made to improve the wild strawberry, 

 we had only succeeded in producing one that is still Wilder. 



At a late hour the Orchestra, which had enlivened the eveninsr with 

 choice selections, played a retiring march, bringing to a seasonable close 

 the pleasures of a Festival which had been very agreeable to all who 

 were present. 



