]76 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Through the chikhva we reacli the jiarents and ultimately intro- 

 duce gardening to the homes as can be done in no other way. 

 What worthier work could a horticultural society do than this? 

 Think what it means to the future of horticulture and the lives of 

 our people. 



Home gardening has been slow in its development in this country 

 due largely to ignorance of gardening methods and to the indif- 

 ference of those interested professionally or otherwise toward 

 making gardening popular. It is gratifying to feel that we have 

 behind us today a multitude of interested and enthusiastic persons ; 

 we have also the backing of prominent educators who say garden- 

 ing should be taught in all public schools; and, finally, the Society 

 of American Florists and Ornamental Horticulturists has devised 

 a plan, through its special committee for teaching horticulture in 

 the public schools, showing that the trade has become interested 

 in the movement. We are especially pleased to find extracts of 

 our last report cjuoted several times in the address of iNIr. E. V. 

 Hallock before the convention of the society at Dayton last August. 



Our work is bringing us into closer touch with those interested 

 in the movement both in the state and in the country at large. 

 Following the policy of last year your chairman has visited most 

 of the school gardens entered for prizes and has also extended his 

 studies to a number of representative gardens outside of the state. 

 The School Farm at New York City and representative gardens 

 in Pliiladelphia were thus \dsited at a personal expense of time 

 and money. A similar trip to the State Normal School at Hyannis 

 proved most interesting. The various members of the committee 

 have visited a large number of both school and home gardens and 

 your chairman wishes to express his appreciation of the interest 

 and time given over to this work. It has been no small task but 

 one which is of great value to the movement. 



Under the auspices of the Wellesley Village Improvement Asso- 

 ciation your chairman has obtained most valuable experience in 

 organizing and directing a school garden. He has been enabled 

 to enter into the sj)irit of the movement as could hardly have been 

 done by any other method. A successful garden was maintained 

 at W'ellesley this year with an intelligent and enthusiastic, though 

 inexperienced, young woman for teacher. We call your special 

 attention to the report of this garden to be found further on. 



