REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PLANTS AND FLOWERS. Ill 



for moist situations, with large yellow flowers and very large 

 orbicular leaves. 



On August 22 the committee visited the nursery of E. F. Dwyer 

 & Son, Lynn, INIassachusetts, to examine a clematis plant which 

 appeared in the nursery, presumably from seed. Flowers from 

 this vine have been shown at two different times pre\ious to this 

 at the Hall, but not in sufficient quantity to be fairly judged. It 

 is a strong growing vine, with heavy foliage and axillary clusters of 

 somewhat bell-shaped flowers which are white, delicately shaded 

 lavender. 



There was some question as to its identity, but the authorities 

 at the Harvard Botanic Garden pronounced it to be Clematis 

 heracleifolia var. stans form. It should make a valuable vine for 

 trelUs and pergola work and we considered it of sufficient merit to 

 be generally grown; we therefore awarded it a First Class Certifi- 

 cate. 



On September 1 the committee visited the Bay State Nurseries, 

 North Abington, Massachusetts, to see a pure white seedUng 

 Stokesia cyanea. This is the first white variety of this plant on 

 record. Unfortunately the only flower on the plant had faded, 

 but there still remained enough of it to show that it was pure white 

 and of sufficient promise to warrant the award of Honorable 

 Mention. If the plant fulfills its promise it will be a valuable 

 addition to the herbaceous plants and worthy of liigher honors. 



The Annual Exhibition, September 5, as a whole, was an excel- 

 lent one, but in the classes for decorative plants the same apathy- 

 was noticeable among the growers as has been apparent for several 

 years past, and the burden of the decorative displays fell upon the 

 Harvard Botanic Garden, Mrs. John L. Gardner, A. F. Estabrook, 

 and R. & J. Farquhar & Co. Specimen plants were contrib- 

 uted by a few others, but the fact becomes more apparent each 

 year that the interest in this class of plants is waning. 



On the other hand the interest in outdoor flowers and plants is 

 increasing wonderfully and among these the dahlia is in the lead. 

 The displays of this flower practically filled the lecture hall, al- 

 though the prizes offered were comparatively few and small. 



Among the miscellaneous displays there were several noteworthy 

 plants which received special awards. The Blue Hill Nurseries 



