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in bouquets, baskets, and other designs ; for which we 

 are largely indebted to the lady members of the soci- 

 ety. The large designs which show the skill of the 

 architect rather than the taste of the florist are justly 

 banished from our halls. The establishment of the 

 Committee on Gardens marks the progress, not only of 

 improvement in the culture of fruit, flower, and vege- 

 table gardens, but in the laying-out of ornamental and 

 pleasure grounds with artistic effect. It was during 

 this era that the Hunnewell Triennial Premiums were 

 established by the generous patron of horticulture whose 

 name they bear, to promote the application of science, 

 skill, and taste to landscape-gardening. 



In the kitchen-garden we have noticed the zeal of 

 cultivators in testing large collections of potatoes, beans, 

 squashes, and turnips, and the improved varieties intro- 

 duced ; while the specimens exhibited showed a marked 

 improvement in cultivation. The tomato, in its change 

 from a soft and wrinkled state to the smooth and solid 

 varieties now exclusively grown, is a most striking 

 example of improvement. 



Tliis era was especially noted for its brilliant festivals 

 in Faneuil Hall, graced by large assemblages of ladies 

 and gentlemen. Among those who thus met to do 

 honor to the society were many of the most distin- 

 guished persons in our land, of whom we may re- 

 member Daniel Webster, Edward Everett, William H. 

 Seward, Andrew Jackson Downing, Caleb Cushing, 

 Robert C. Winthrop, Morton JNIcMichael, and Madam 

 Alexander Hamilton. These festivals gave great pop- 

 ularity to the society, and assisted in bringing to its 

 treasury increased donations, the interest of which was 

 to be distributed in prizes to promote the objects of the 

 society. The mention of these generous gifts at once 

 recalls to your minds the honored names of Appleton, 

 Lowell, Lyman, Bradlee, Hunnewell, and French. 



