REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON WINDOW GARDENING. 309 



Considering this plan then as at least open to criticism, the Com- 

 mittee substituted plants as gifts and prizes. Then came the ques- 

 tion, " How can plants of suitable age be secured for tlie later 

 mfentlis? " To keep cuttings or small plants three or four months 

 must add to the expense. 



Througli the most cordial cooperation of George A. Parker, — 

 a member of the Society, and himself a lover of both plants and 

 children, — space in his greenhouses was offered for the growing 

 and caring for all the plants we needed. 



Cuttings and seeds were purchased at wholesale prices, and the 

 results proved that the work was not commenced any too early to 

 meet the demands made upon us. Seven classes in Boston schools 

 were taking courses of lessons in Botan}', and at that season pre- 

 paring for an exhibition of their progress. The germination of 

 seeds, and the propagation of plant-life by slips, had been care- 

 fully noted day by day, and a record had been kept for future 

 reference. Your Committee were invited to be present. After 

 carefully observing their work, it seemed wise to furnish to those 

 who wanted to continue their investigations seedlings which were 

 then in fine condition. Most gratefully were they received and 

 distributed by teachers and pupils. About one thousand seedlings 

 of Asters, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Hardy Carnations, Lobelia, Sweet 

 Williams, Nicotiana qffinis, Candytuft, and Sweet Alyssum, were 

 the principal annuals, while Abutilon and Heliotrope were among 

 the hardier perennial plants. These were heard from during the 

 summer. Each collection was carefully labelled with the botani- 

 cal and common name. This was considered necessary to discour- 

 age the habit, among raisers of plants, of propagating error while 

 they propagate plants. Like all untruths, false names mislead, 

 perhaps not the dealer, but the seeker after knowledge. For in- 

 stance, the pretty white flower sold as Stevia is not that at all. 

 Its botanical name is Piqueria, from that of a Spanish botanist, 

 and it is very much more desirable for decorative purposes than 

 the Stevia, which has a stiff stem bearing a close cyme of blos- 

 soms at the head of the upright stalk. The true names can be 

 mastei'ed by persons of the average intelligence, as well as the 

 incorrect ones. 



Previous to the Easter celebrations your Committee had been 

 asked to aid in arranging and presenting the flowers provided for 

 a mission school near Roxbury, and to present flowers and explain 



