2 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE 0^ FLOWERS, 



For the Year 1^64. 

 BY E. AUGUSTUS STOBY, CHAIKMAN". 



The past season was unfavorable to the growth and blooming of plants, and 

 consequently to the weekly displays. The Roses were fine, as they always 

 are, but were too soon over. One or two growers, through deep trenching and 

 high manuring, managed to make very good displays throughout the season, 

 but this was the exception, not the rule. 



The Gladiolus was the great feature of the weekly exhibitions, the most 

 attractive and the most admired of all. The little trouble necessary to their 

 cultivation, the ease with which they adapt themselves to almost any soil or 

 situation, and above all their brilliant and striking appearance, render them 

 the most effective of all bulbous plants for garden decoration, and will 

 ultimately be grown by the masses as plentiful as the Aster, the Gilly-flower, 

 or the Verbena. The high prices charged by European raisers seemed 

 enormous, and entirely prevented their cultivation, except by a few of our 

 •wealthiest citizens and nurserymen, and even then on a very limited scale. 

 But, thanks to the skill and energy of some of our florists and amateurs, we 

 hope to see them soon within the reach of all. 



On the last Saturday in August, the day fixed for awarding the prizes, every 

 class was well represented, but unfortunately for the exhibitors in class ], — 

 20 varieties, — they, either through carelessness or mistake, failed to comply 

 with the rules, having two of a kind, wrongly named, or more or less than the 

 specified number. The Committee were reluctantly obliged to withhold all 

 the prizes in this class, the rules of the Society being imperative. If exhib- 

 itors will not look after their own interests by having the proper number, dis- 

 tinctly and correctly named, the Committee has no alternative but to withhold 

 the prizes, however deserving in other respects. 



For the best specimen bloom, the first prize was awarded to Geo. Craft for 

 Madame de Vatry. The second to E. S. Rand, Jr., for the same. The third 

 to James McTear for Compte de Morney. 



There was a fine display of seedlings, many of which were very fine — equal, 

 if not superior to our best imported varieties. The principal exhibitors in this 

 class were W. C. Strong, E. S. Rand, Jr., G. Craft, F. Parkman, and J. McTear. 

 Geo. Craft was awarded the Silver Medal for a fine white variety, apparently a 

 seedling from Madame de Vatry. The same gentleman was also awarded the 

 second prize, — Bronze Medal — for a pink variety. Fine displays of seedlings 

 were exhibited at the weekly exhibitions until the end of the season. 



On Saturday, Sept. 10, in W. C. Strong's collection was a remarkably fine 

 flower, a sort of cherry crimson, shaded with violet, and clear white centre ; it 

 looked to be a seedling from Compte de Morney, and of the same form and 



