THE ADVANCEMENT OF HORTICULTURE. 213 



made trouble iu the garden of Edeu. As we go on in refinement, 

 we shall not only have ladies at our side, but shall have more and 

 more aid from them in the training of flowers. 



Edmund Hersey said that the Hingham Horticultural Society 

 holds meetings for discussion every mouth, summer aud winter. 

 The influence of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society reaches 

 to Hingham. They have learned from it how to arrange the 

 plants at their annual exhibitions ; and he believes they have things 

 as well arranged as any society except this. He suggested that 

 we might follow the method of the Massachusetts Society for Pro- 

 moting Agriculture, which as earl}' as 1813 sent out circulars urging 

 the formation of local societies. One existed in Hingham from 

 1814 to 1830, which may have afforded the suggestion of forming 

 the present one. He advised that some means be used to secure 

 the formation of local horticultural societies ; wherever such a soci- 

 ety is formed we shall have the strongest men cooperating with us. 



Joseph H. Woodford called attention to the fine display- of 

 flowers on the table, among which were a large collection of cam- 

 ellias from C. M. Hovey, including his new seedling, Florence 

 Hove}' ; Rhododendron Veitchianum loevigatum aud other beau- 

 tiful greenhouse rhododendrons from Mrs. Francis B. Hayes; a 

 fine seedling Amaryllis from Mrs. E. M. Gill, and beautiful or- 

 chids from Robert Blair and F. L. Ames. Mr. Woodford added 

 that village improvement societies are probably the strongest 

 agents for beautifying towns. There is always local talent that 

 can be utilized. 



Henr}' Ross agreed with all that had been said in favor of local 

 societies. The Newton Horticultural Society has exerted a bene- 

 ficial influence, not alone for the present, but for all time ; it will 

 be seen more in the next generation than now. It has done a 

 good work in the encouragement it has given to the cultivation of 

 flowers in school grounds. 



President Walcott said that the whole question how best to ad- 

 vance horticulture is a significant one, and everything the society 

 can do for its advancement in a wider field should be done. Local 

 improvement societies meet the want in a great measure. While 

 a member of the State Board of Health, Lunacj', and Charit}', he 

 was struck with the view taken by the superintendents of the great 

 State institutions, of the influence of flowers and their cultivation 

 on the inmates. At Tewksbury, the great dumping ground for 



