REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANTS AND FLOWERS, 



FOR THE YEAR 1871. 



By J. C. HovEY, Chairman. 



The Committee on Plants and Flowers respectfully report, that, 

 daring the past season, the exhibitions have been larger and of 

 better quality than ever. While the general displays of cut flowers 

 at the weekly exhibitions have somewhat diminished in numbers, 

 those of specialties, novelties, and hybrid seedling varieties, both 

 pot and cut specimens, have steadily increased, and now form the 

 most interesting and instructive part at these exhibitions. And 

 here your Committee would say, with all due regard for the con- 

 tributors of cut flowers, that in their opinion, if the large amount 

 yearly ofiered by the Society in premiums for that object should 

 be appropriated for specified plants or flowers, it would do much 

 more for the advancement of horticulture than it now does. 



During the past year, the following new and rare plants and 

 flowers have been exhibited, which deserve particular mention : — 



Feb. 11. — J. G. Barker showed fine specimens of the rare 

 Oncidium amictum. During the past season, Mr. Barker has 

 exhibited at our weekly displays many specimens of this fine class 

 of plants, among which were the following species exhibited here 

 for the first time ; namely, Cattleya elegans, Epidendrum lanci 

 folium, and Epidendrum atropurpureum roseum. 



March 18. — James McTear exhibited a good specimen plant of 

 Azalea Indica souvenir de Prince Albert, a beautiful distinct 

 double-flowered variety, of a bright rose-color, margined with pure 

 white ; also, at same exhibition, plant of Arabis lucida fol. variega- 

 ta, a compact alpine plant with large white flowers and handsome 

 variegated foliage. 



April 8. — Francis Parkman showed cut specimens of two new 

 imported varieties of trumpet narcissus, named Emperor and Em- 

 press, said to be hybrids between Narcissus bicolor and Narcissus 

 Ajax. The flowers of the first-named were bright yellow and orange ; 

 and those of the second, of a handsome sulphur-yellow and orange : 



