DISCUSSION OF FLOWER CULTURE. 

 Opened by Robert Cameron, Cambridge, Mass. 



February 10, 1912. 



The usual Saturday lecture took the form today of a general 

 discussion of the subject of flower culture. Robert Cameron, 

 Superintendent of the Botanic Garden of Harvard L'niversity, 

 opened the discussion speaking in part as follows: 



I have been asked to open a discussion on flowers. This is too 

 large a subject to discuss at one time as it would not only include 

 all outdoor flowering plants but also all greenhouse flowering 

 plants, therefore I will confine my remarks more to hardy outdoor 

 material. 



Within the last decade there has been a general horticultural 

 awakening in this country; one can feel it and see it all around. 

 Every city of any conseciuence has its parks, commons, and play- 

 grounds, and immense sums of money are spent each year on 

 these places. These places should not only be health and recrea- 

 tion resorts, but should also be institutions of learning so as to 

 teach the people the examples of gardening that are best adapted 

 for this country. City officials should see to it that parks are 

 made interesting and attractive for the people so as to draw them 

 out of the crowded streets to see the bright flowers and enjoy 

 the fresh and invigorating air. 



I have often thought that the large parks are generally too far 

 away from the crowded parts of most cities and that city officials 

 should compel street railways to give very much reduced rates 

 to these places so that they would be used more. We don't give 

 this enough of serious thought. Just think the benefit it would 

 be to cities if they could make people of the populated streets, 

 especially the children, live more in the parks. It would not only 

 have a great influence on their health but also on their morals. 



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