21 



whom we are most indebted for the success attamed ; 

 and by the pubUcations of the society, which, though 

 beginning with its foundation, have of late attained an 

 importance, which, excepting the period from 184:7 to 

 1852, they did not possess in any previous era. And 

 this leads me to speak of the growth, in our country 

 generally, of horticuhural Kterature, which, at the organ- 

 ization of the society, could hardly be said to exist. In 

 the formation of this literature the members of this 

 society, and especially ex-President Hovey, to whose 

 long series of volumes we point with pride, may claim 

 to have had their full share. 



To come more directly to gardening : the era which 

 we speak of was noted for the development of carpet 

 and ribbon gardening, which gave to our gardens a bril- 

 liancv and richness unknown before. This was rendered 

 possible by the introduction of numbers of new varie- 

 ties of pelargoniums, coleus, a^hyranthes, centaurea, and 

 of other species before unknown, and at the same time 

 stimulated the introduction and production of plants 

 suited to the effects at which it aims. With it came 

 sub-tropical gardening, imparting to our lawns and 

 pleasure-grounds, by the use of palms, tree-ferns, agaves, 

 musas, drac?enas, caladiums, and similar plants, an air of 

 refinement and distinction before unknown. It appears 

 to me that the introduction of these and the miiltitude 

 of ornamental-foliaged plants, both hardy and tender, 

 which now enrich our gardens, is the most characteristic 

 feature of the present era in horticulture. Our wealth 

 in the rich forms of tropical foliage, and the skill of our 

 cultivators, were revealed in the exhibitions of 18 To, 

 1874, and 1875, when the spacious Music Hall appeared 

 transformed into a tropical garden. The names of half 

 the species which have been introduced would extend 

 this address beyond all reasonable limits, 'ihe mention 

 of Bougainvillea, Cyanophyllum, Anthurium, Allamanda, 



