326 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



with the balsams, but look at them where they grow ? No bal- 

 sam ever reached the honor of a bouquet, any more than a duck- 

 legged man ever reached the honor of enrolment in the Impe- 

 rial Guard of Bonaparte. 



Color, fragrance, durability, and strength of stem are all 

 considerations, and a few choice flowers combine them all. 

 The rose has each in perfection. The beauty of flowers in the 

 garden depends much on the character of the plant that bears 

 it. The plant of the poppy and the herbage of the dahlia are 

 coarse and unseemly, while some are beautiful in themselves, 

 scarce needing the flower that grows upon them. 



Your committee rejoice in the manifestation of increasing 

 interest in flower culture. Many beautiful collections were 

 presented that by themselves would excite admiration, and were 

 only lost in the profusion that prevailed around them. 



Samuel B. Babcock, Chairman. 



VEGETABLES. 



ESSEX. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



Your committee are happy to report, that, as far as testimony 

 came to their ears, the exhibition of this year gave universal 

 satisfaction, and was ranked by many as the crowning exhibi- 

 tion of the society in this department. A close and critical 

 examination of the great variety displayed by the live farmers 

 and gardeners of old Essex, has led them, for the most part, to 

 coincide with the general sentiment. 



The feature which characterized the exhibition of this year, 

 was the overwhelming display of mammoth squashes. These, 

 we doubt not, added greatly to the " glory " of the exhibition, 

 catching the eye of the crowd as usual, and, it may be, filling 

 the eye of gentlemen of high position, and thus enabling them 

 publicly to compliment us on our fine display. Such are cer- 

 tainly very agreeable results for all parties. But so sudden and 



