REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OX PLANTS AND 

 FLO\YERS FOR THE YEAR 1906. 



BY ARTHUR H. FEWKES, CHAIRMAN. 



A review of the exhibitions of the year shows them to have been 

 of unusual interest, owing largely to the meeting with us of three 

 national associations : the American Carnation Society in January, 

 the American Rose Society in IMarch, and the American Peony 

 Society in June. 



It seems to us that the policy of encouraging such societies to 

 meet here and to hold their exhibitions in conjunction with our 

 own is a commendable one and should be adopted as often as 

 circumstances will jiermit, for it brings in many exhibitors and 

 exhibits which we would get in no other way. 



It not only increases the size of our exhibitions but creates a 

 wider public interest in them as well. 



We find there has been a considerable increase in the number 

 of awards over the preceding year and a slight increase in the 

 number of exhibitors. There were six hundred and seventy-three 

 awards of all kinds in 1905 and seven hundred and forty in 1906, 

 an increase of sixty-seven; and there were one hundred and forty- 

 three persons and firms who made exhibits at various times during 

 1905 and one hundred and fifty during 1906, an increase of seven. 



But while there has been an increase in both exhibits and exhibi- 

 tors the actual money expended, including all special prizes, was 

 seventeen dollars and seventy-five cents less than the preceding 

 year. 



The improvement may have been due mostly to the association 

 with us of the different national societies, but we feel that there 

 has been a genuine revival of interest in many lines. It is true 

 that in the classes mentioned last year as falling behind there has 

 been no appreciable improvement, but in the classes which appeal 

 most strongly to the unprofessional grower there has been con- 

 siderable improvement. 



