REPORTS TO THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 369 



bitions of fruit aud flowers and offered its prizes for excellence, 

 open to the competition of all, has been a factor for good in the 

 horticulture of the State which no one can estimate. 



Of the four exhibitions held during the year, your delegate 

 attended three, being prevented from being present at the Rose 

 and Strawberry Show, in June, by the duties of Commencement 

 week. There were several noticeable features about these exhibi- 

 tions deserving of special mention. That of March, aside from 

 the magnificent show of hyacinths, narcissi, and tulips, stimulated 

 hy the medals offered by the Royal Union of Haarlem, Holland, 

 for the encouragement of the growth of bulbs, was the wild flower 

 garden from the Botanic Garden, Harvard University, a charm- 

 ing arrangement of rocks, pine trees, and moss, in which were 

 blossoming all the favorites of the early spring. It was like being 

 transported at a single bound, from the rigors of a northern winter 

 to the balmy woods, dank with green moss and fern, and bright 

 with its harvest of anemones and violets. Here were to be found 

 all the commoner wild flowers, as well as those more rare, Trilli- 

 ums. Columbines, Cowslips, Lady's Slippers, etc, — and, to make 

 the illusion more complete, here and there even the skunk cabbage 

 reared its fragrant spathe. It was a pretty idea — that of bring- 

 ing the woods to your ver}' door, and one to be imitated. 



Shakespeare says : — 



"This is an Art 

 Which does mend Nature : change it rather ; but 

 The Art itself is Nature," 



and after all, the nearer we come to nature, the better we suc- 

 ceed. 



On the Continent of Europe, the floral exhibitions have all the 

 appearance of show flower gardens. Fountains are playing, birds 

 are singing, and you walk about in extensive grounds, laid out in 

 beautiful plats, in which the pots are buried deeply in the earth, 

 turf being carefully adjusted so that the plants seem to be spring- 

 ing from the ground itself. As a result, there is a harmony and 

 naturalness which is peculiarly delightful. Again, the art of 

 arrangement is carefully studied, so as to produce the best eflfects. 

 As regards this last particular, it seemed to your delegate that 

 there was a defect in the exhibition now reported on, especially in 

 the upper hall. The stand of azaleas occupying the centre was 

 too stiff and cold, if such a term may be applied to a mass of 

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