REPORT 



OF THE 



COMMITTEE ON PLANTS AND FLOWERS, 



FOR THE YEAR 1889. 



By JOSEPH H. WOODFORD, Chairman. 



Once more the time has come round when your Committee must 

 render an account of their doings in this department of the good 

 work our Societ}' has accomplished during the past year. 



The year opened rather discouragingly, on account of the fire 

 which occurred in our building on the 30th of last December, ren- 

 dering the halls unfit for exhibition purposes. As the repairs were 

 not completed till the latter part of July, our shows for the first 

 half of the 3'ear were held at a great disadvantage, and were prob- 

 ably much smaller than they would have been under more favorable 

 circumstances. 



The spring opened some two weeks earlier this j'ear than last, 

 and the frosts 4ield off fully two weeks later in the fall. Thus a 

 good month was added to the growing season for out-door plants 

 and consequently a month more of real enjo3'ment has been 

 experienced in our gardens than is usually allotted to us in this 

 vicinity. 



As a general rule plants have been of slow growth this season, 

 because we have had a greater precipitation of moisture, and also 

 rather cooler weather than the average of past summers. 



But neither the frequent rains nor the cool weather, discouraged 

 our exhibitors, for we had very good displays all through the year, 

 and some of unusual excellence. In making up our report we 

 include a special notice of the most commendable features of each 



