REPORT TO THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 313 



stands first in this country. At a banquet given by the Worcester 

 Horticultural Society in 1871, I heard the late Hou. Marshall P. 

 Wilder state that the Massachusetts Society was the wealthiest 

 horticultural society in this country or in Europe, not excepting 

 the Royal Horticultural Societ}' of London. The sum appropriated 

 for prizes for the year 1888, was six thousand dollars, to be 

 awarded at the several exhibitions during the season. 



The year began with a course of Essays and Discussions on the 

 following subjects : 



Jan. 14. Notes and Memories of our Early Horticulture, by 

 Rev. A. B. Muzzey, Cambridge. 



Jan. 21. Esthetics in Agriculture, by George M. Whitaker, 

 Editor of the New England Farmer, Boston. 



Jan. 28. Garden Vegetables, by M. B. Faxon, Boston. 



Feb. 4. The Cultivation and Diseases of the Peach, by J. 

 H. Hale, South Glastonbury, Connecticut. 



Feb. 11. Late Progress in the Application of Science to 

 Plant Culture, b}' Professor W. O. Atwater, Middletown, Con- 

 necticut. 



Feb. 18. The Bulb Gardens of Holland, by Robert Farquhar, 

 Boston. 



Feb. 25. Insects Injurious to Vegetation, b}^ Professor C. H. 

 Fernald, State Agricultural College, Amherst. 



March 3. The Influence of Flowers upon National Life, b^- 

 Mrs. Fannie A. Deane, Edgartown. 



March 10. Hybrid Roses, Old and New, by William H. 

 Spooner, Jamaica Plain. 



March 17. Methods of Labelling Trees and Plants, by Robert 

 T. Jackson, Boston. 



March 24. Fertilizers: — Agricultural, Physical, Intellectual 

 and Moral, by Rev. Frederick N. Knapp, Plymouth. 



March 31. Meeting for general discussion of such subjects 

 pertaining to Horticulture as might be suggested. 



These discussions were well attended, and full reports of them 

 are published in the Transactions of the Society. 



It was my privilege to attend the four larger exhibitions of the 

 year, beginning with the Annual Spring Show in March. The 

 Special Prizes offered by the General Union of Holland for the 

 Promotion of Bulb Culture brought out a large and fine display 

 of Holland bulbs. Although this was the chief attraction, other 



