REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANTS AND 

 FLOWERS FOR THE YEAR 1911. 



By T. D. Hatfield, Chairman. 



The exhibitions of the year 1911 have been hardly up to the 

 Society's standard of excellence. There has been for some years 

 a gradual change in the character of the exhibitions, especially 

 of plants and flowers, and in this respect two things can be distinctly 

 recognized: First, that the private gardener is not doing his full 

 share in making the flower shows more successful, and second, 

 our dependence upon trade exhibits. This is not a very satisfactory 

 situation, not that we should object to commercial exhibits, but 

 that we are dependent upon them. We often wonder what some 

 of our exhibitions would be without these trade exhibits. One 

 notable firm has wisely, we believe, refused to accept gratuities 

 in the shape of money. This is the proper position for the trade 

 to take. The advertisement gained at the exhibitions of this 

 Society ought to be enough. Some trade people have been com- 

 petitors and have received liberal gratuities because, in the opinion 

 of the committee, these would be acceptable and also because the 

 committee thought it good policy to thus secure their continued 

 interest in our exhibitions. 



January 7, Duncan Finlayson of the Weld Garden, Brookline, 

 was awarded a Cultural Certificate for a group of Calanthes, includ- 

 ing Calanthe Sandhurstiana, a deep rose colored variety; C. vestita 

 oluteo culata, a creamy white with yellow center; C. vestita rubro 

 oculata, rosy; George McWilliam's hybrid, C. Veitchii X C. 

 Regnieri, much like C. Regnieri, but earlier; and C. Cornelius 

 Vanderbilt (C. vestita rubro oculata X C. Veitchii). 



Besides these Mr. Finlayson showed Cymbidium Holfordianurn 

 {C. eburneum X C. Hookcrianum). It is handsomer than either of 

 its parents, a creamy white at opening, changing to pure white 

 with age. 



Ernest B. Dane (Donald McKenzie, gardener) showed some 



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