HORTICULTURAL PRIZES. 15 



prizes, as they have uot the same inducements as nurserymen to 

 incur the expense of producing specimen plants. Only one 

 amateur took a prize at the English exhibition before alluded to, 

 but he (Mr. Hovey) desired by every means to encourage amateur 

 growers, 



William Gray, Jr., differed from Mr. Hovey in regard to the 

 number of prizes taken by amateurs as compared with nurserymen. 

 He found, by reference to the transactions of the society, that out 

 of twent3'-two prizes for plants, at our rose and annual exhibitions, 

 in 1872, nine were taken by nurserymen and thirteen by amateurs. 

 But he agreed in the view that many of the prizes for plants were 

 too small, and compared some of them with similar prizes offered 

 in England, such as Heaths, for which we offer two prizes of six 

 and five dollars, while at the Bath exhibition eighty dollars were 

 offered ; and Dracaenas, for which we have two prizes of ten and 

 six dollars against sixty-seven dollars at Bath. Our prizes for the 

 best six Geraniums, not variegated, are six and five dollars, while 

 in England forty dollars are offered. Each of these geraniums 

 required twenty-five square feet to grow in, and it cost nine dol- 

 lars to bring in the plants. He thought the prizes for collections 

 were large enough, as was shown by the competition. There is 

 just as much honor in taking a small prize as a large one, if there 

 is competition. 



President Strong remarked on the difference between this country 

 and England, and said that we certainly do find money prizes an 

 attraction, as was shown by the collections of winter pears ex- 

 hibited for prizes to-day. 



Edward S. Rand, Jr., concurred with Messrs. Hovey and Gray 

 that the prizes for plants should be larger. He said that amateurs 

 do not generally compete for money, and that it is no honor to 

 take a prize without competition. Our orchid prizes last sum- 

 mer were eight and six dollars, while it cost twelve dollars to bring 

 three plants into the hall. He would not drop heaths from the 

 prize list, as had been suggested, as it would take two years to 

 grow premium specimens. Epacrises, which it had also been pro- 

 posed to omit, were more easily grown. Mr. Rand spoke of one 

 of Mr. Gray's tree ferns, the beauty of which was spoiled for the 

 season by bringing in to exhibition. He thought gratuities should 

 be separate from prizes, and did not believe in a society laying up 

 money, but would encourage larger exhibitions. 



