132 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Discussion. 



The Chairman said that it would be well to consider this a 

 ladies' day, and give them the first opportunity to speak. He 

 accordingly called on Mrs. H. L. T. Wolcott, who said that she 

 and others had so deeply felt the great influence for good of 

 flowers that last year they resumed the good work begun in 1878, 

 of endeavoring to educate and interest children in their cultivation, 

 and they hoped to continue it this year. The prizes offered for 

 window gardening are now confined to children, but she wished 

 they could be extended to all. Our latest importation, John 

 Chinaman, who devotes himself so much to making clean what is 

 dirty, is alread}' interested in the cultivation of flowers, and 

 produces supurb narcissuses, which he calls New Year's lilies. 

 The influence of flowers is already felt in politics, and perhaps it 

 is due to the horrid question how ladies could go to the polls ; at 

 one voting place a voter of foreign birth moved to prohibit smok- 

 ing after twelve o'clock, and the next year a gentleman sent 

 flowers to decorate it, and the change was such that people were 

 astonished. The general interest in flowers is testified by the 

 crowds gazing into florists' windows. Mrs. Dean's appeal should 

 not go unheeded. 



Other ladies were invited to speak but did not respond. 



Rev. A. B. Muzzey said that when he entered the room he was 

 impressed with the beautiful displa}"^ of flowers, and he thought it 

 a most fortunate coincidence that the reading of the essay was 

 accompanied by so good an exhibition. Through the influence of 

 flowers even warriors have been softened and savages civilized. 

 The subject is comprehensive and not to be confined to men or 

 women. He was glad to see so many ladies present. When he 

 had a family he made it a point that each member should be 

 trained to a love of flowers as early as possible, and he advised 

 all parents to do the same. No part of education will yield a 

 better compensation. The influence of a love of flowers in exclud- 

 ing low tastes from a boy's character is most happy. 



Mrs. P. D. Richards had been much interested in the paper 

 read ; she had felt for many years that too much attention cannot 

 be given to the cultivation of flowers. The study of wild flowers 

 is an education in itself. 



