248 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



September 18, at the hall of the Highland School, our fourth annual 

 exhibit was held. The display of flowers and vegetables, although not 

 as large as in previous years, was excellent ,jiue largely to our supervisor's 

 instructions. Prizes were awarded at this exhibition. The flowers 

 afterwards were sent to Mrs. Shaw's Settlement House, Ruggles St., 

 Boston, and the vegetables to the Home for Aged Women here in Reading. 



Fifty of our cliildren wrote a ston.^ of their smnmer work, describing the 

 care of the gardens, the products and what was done with them. These 

 boys and girls were entertained October 11 by the Woman's Club and 

 eight prizes awarded by Mrs. Henry Robinson, the President, for composi- 

 tions. 



The children furnished the decorations for the afternoon and the com- 

 positions were conveniently placed for inspection. 



Our prizes, pictures, and incidental expenses were paid for by private 

 subscription. 



We hope that the impro^■ement shown in our Home Gardens, under the 

 direction of a supervisor, wU lead in the near future to the establishment 

 of a School Garden. 



Report of the Fairhaaen Home G.\rdens. 

 by sara b. clarke, f.\irh.\ven, mass. 



This, our second year of work in home gardens, has been eminently 

 satisfactory. Fifty-four children purchased seeds which were supplied 

 them at half the original cost. Thirty-nine of these children had gardens 

 worthy of notice, and prizes varying in amomit from two dollars to twenty- 

 five cents were awarded to twenty-seven of the young gardeners. 



Many of the children were most enthusiastic over the Mork, and the 

 results obtained were really surprising, considering the existing conditions 

 of the summer. 



Four of the children sent specimens of their products to the Massachu- 

 setts Horticultural Society's exhibition in September, and two of the 

 four were awarded prizes. One of these exhibitors, a boy in the sixth 

 grade, had a vegetable garden that might well have been a source of pride 

 to a " gro\A-n-up, " everj^ bit of it his owti work, even to the first spading. 



We hope this work, which now seems fairly well started is going to groA\', 

 and each year will find many homes made attractive and often beautiful, 

 by the efforts of our boys and girls. 



