246 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



do not properly exemplify the higher aims which the Society has 

 in view. 



The first informal exhibition of the Society was held on 

 January 10th, when there was a good display of Cut Flowers, etc., 

 and one of Native Perennials and Mosses by Mrs. P. D. Richards. 

 This exhibitor, — who confines herself to showing the wild flowers, 

 ferns, and mosses, indigenous to this section, — has made some of 

 the most valuable and interesting exhibits ever noticed in oiu* 

 records. Every wild plant and flower, moss and fern, has been 

 gathered in its season, at no inconsiderable expenditure of time and 

 trouble, and exhibited not only with the botanical name but the 

 popular English or local name appended. This has proved very 

 instructive to thousands, and cannot be too highly commended. 



On the 24th of January, S. R. Payson exhibited some magni- 

 ficent specimens of Cattleya Triance, and the newer Cattleya 

 lahiata Percivaliana, one of the most promising of the few 

 autumn blooming Cattleyas. One of th€ finest varieties ever 

 shown of this species was among the number, and the collection 

 was awarded a Silver Medal. 



On the 31st of January, F. L. Ames brought in the new and 

 very rare Vanda Sanderiana. This magnificent orchid bore a 

 five-flowered spike, and had never been shown in bloom in this 

 country. It received a Silver Medal. 



On the 28th of February a First Class Certificate of Merit was 

 awarded to William H. Spooner for blooms of the new English- 

 raised Hybrid Perpetual rose. Queen of Queens, one of the 

 whitish-pink class. It is a fine large rose, and promises to be 

 hardy, though its qualities as a good grower are yet but indefi- 

 nitely known. 



The new Japanese Primida obconica was exhibited the same 

 day. This is one of the best dwarf plants for winter blooming in 

 the gi-eenhouse ever introduced, and its rosy white blooms are 

 persistent. It is perennial in its character, and throws up truss 

 after truss of bloom the entire winter and far into summer. It 

 was awarded a Fu-st Class Certificate of Merit. 



E. M. Wood & Co., on the same day, offered a lot of sixteen 

 blooms of Marechal Niel Roses, similar to those shown by them at 

 other times, which represented the perfection of culture ; and no 

 other exhibitor, with the exception of N. G. Simpkins, was able 

 to divide honors with them. A Bronze Medal for cultural skill 

 was awarded. 



