16 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



1. Horticulture. Growing of vegetables and flowers, including 

 study and preparation of the soil, planting, propagating, fertilizing, 

 etc. Use and care of tools. Care of lawns and shrubbery. Plant- 

 ing and care of orchards and small fruits; trimming, pruning, 

 propagating, gathering. Control and elimination of insect and 

 fungus pests. 



2. Botany. Systematic and economic botany as directly 

 applicable to practical horticulture. Practical experiments in 

 germination and nutrition. 



3. Chemistry. Elementary, theoretical, and practical. Agri- 

 cultural chemistry, analysis of soils. Chemistry of garden crops 

 and its relation to the use of fertilizers. 



4. Marketing of Produce. Study of market condition. Prepa- 

 ration and arrangement of produce for sale. 



5. Agricultural book-keeping and business correspondence. 



6. Garden carpentry and greenhouse construction. Use of 

 simple wood-working tools; making of light boxes, frames, etc.; 

 glazing and painting sash; lectures on green-house construction. 



7. Preserving of fruits and vegetables. 



8. Bee keeping. 



9. Poultry raising. 



10. Elements of surveying and garden design. 



11. Demonstrations and opportunity for some practical work 

 in the ordinary care of a horse and cow. 



The most able and beneficial assistant to the commercial florist 

 of this country and Europe is the wife or other assistant of the 

 fair sex. The success of a very large proportion of florists is 

 directly attributable to the help and counsel of the wife, and in 

 many instances where it has been necessary that she take the helm 

 the business continues with the same success. This proves the 

 efficiency of woman in a vocation in which she is well fitted. 



This is simply to show that there is at present a live and deter- 

 mined effort made by the amateur which is beyond the experi- 

 mental stage, and from this and other like interests have sprung the 

 many interesting publications, books, and magazines. Exponents 

 in civic work have also stirred the whole country. 



School gardens are established in most of the states and are 

 showing great possibilities; the instruction imparted to the children 



