REPORT 



OF THE 



COMMITTEE ON PLAjSTS AND FLOWERS, 



FOR THE YEAR 1837. 



By JOSEPH II. WOODFORD, Chairman. 



As tlic year draws to a close it becomes the dut}' of yonr 

 Coniniiltce to make a reiiort of tlieir doings (or the past year, and 

 we now do so with great pleasure, feeling sure that as ilie years 

 roll round we ^re couUnually advancing in tlie proinolion of 

 horticulluie, the object for which our Society was formed. 



This season has not been as favorable as usual, for the flower- 

 ing or development of i)l:ints out of doors, owing to excessive 

 rams all through the summer, and early frosts in the autumn. 

 These have had a tendency to curtail our weekly exhil)ltions and 

 uriake ihem more meagre and of less interest than formerly. Yet 

 this year shows remarkable progress in some of ihe classes of 

 plants which were already supposed to be nearly full and complete 

 and to possess all ihe beauty of whi^h the}' are capable. But our 

 meml)crs have been on tlie aKrt and by new processes of culture, 

 b}' hybridization, aiid l)y selection, they have been able to show 

 during the > ear more beautiful plants and flowers than some of 

 the older varieties we have been accustomed to see. 



The number of exhil)itors was about the same as last year, but 

 we were sorry to notice that some of the largest and most valued 

 collections of plants were not represented at our large shows. 

 Our Society is lavish in its |)ri/.es of monej', medals, and plate, 

 and these prizes are of such value that one would suppose they 



