REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PLANTS AND FLOWERS. 63 



note, the flower being of a fine cherry color, with creamy yellow 

 throat, the ends of the petals striped with carmine. On the 28th 

 of August, J. S. Richards brought six seedlings selected from his 

 large variety ; we did not take any note of these further than that 

 they were fine flowers. From Joseph C. Lowell, of West Boyl- 

 ston, came a collection of seedlings,. which were all good, but not 

 better than have been shown previously. We are glad to see that 

 so much attention is being given to the cultivation of this valuable 

 bulbous plant. 



Asters. — The best display was on the 28th of August, which 

 was premium day. The exhibitors were C. M. Atkinson, Hovey 

 & Co., J. F. Rogers, Joseph Clark, John Parker, and James 

 O'Brien. The collections comprised about twelve varieties of 

 selfs and striped, which were very beautiful, the flowers being 

 the largest that have been exhibited. 



Verbenas. — The show of verbenas was better than usual. 

 September 4th being prize day, good collections were brought in by 

 J. B. Moore, Hovey & Co., Sarah W. Story, A. McLaren, and 

 James O'Brien. 



Native Plants. — This interesting department has been well 

 repi'csented, and has been of great interest to all lovers of our 

 beautiful plants and flowers. Mrs. C. N. S. Horner and E. H. 

 Hitchings have been indefatigable in their labors to procure the 

 choicest kinds ; their collections have always been fully appre- 

 ciated, and have been centres of interest and instruction to the 

 large number of visitors. Mr. Hitchings' collections are always 

 made with great care, embracing onl}^ the choicest of our native 

 plants ; among them the following are worthy of mention : 



Aletris farinosa (Star Grass). — See " Bigelow's Medical 

 Botany," vol. Ill, pi. 50. 



Drosera rotundifolia (Round Leaved Sundew). — These speci- 

 mens were ver^"^ large and fine. 



Eupatormm — four species, E. perfoUatum (Thorough wort) , 

 E. pxibescens (Hairy Eupatorium), E. purpureum, (Trumpet 

 Weed), and E. teucrifolium. 



Habenaria blepJiariglottis (Fringed White Orchis). — A very 

 delicate and beautiful species, and quite rai-e. 



Lilium superhum. — One of the most magnificent of our native 

 plants. Stem erect, straight, from three to six feet high, bearing 

 a large pyramid of orange colored flowers, not unfrequently thirty 

 or forty in number ; rare. (Florula Bostoniensis.) 



