REPORT TO STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 251 



Febi-iiarv 27. Good Food from the Garden, by Miss Anna 

 Barrows, Boston. 



March 13. Horticulture in Canada, by Professor William 

 Saunders, Ottawa, Canada. 



March 20. Soils and Potting, by T. D. Hatfield, Wellesley. 



March 27. The Spread of Plant Diseases; a consideration of 

 some of the ways in which Parasitic Organisms are disseminated, 

 by Dr. Erwiu F. Smith, Washington, D.C. 



The lectures and discussions are published in full in the Transac- 

 tions of the Society, which are free to all the members of the 

 Society. 



The Spring Exhibition opened March 23 and continued four 

 days. The Lower Hall contained a fine show of early vegetables 

 and winter apples and pears. In the centre of the hall was a rich 

 display of spring flowering greenhouse plants. In the Upper Hall 

 were choice collections of spring flowering bulbs, which included 

 the fragrant hyacinth, tulips, jonquils, narcissuses, and poly- 

 anthuses. There were excellent exhibits of perennials, cinera- 

 rias, cyclamens, and pansies, and a fine show of orchids. 



The Rhododendron Show opened June 3 for two days. The 

 rhododendrons and azaleas were very fine. Fine exhibits were 

 made of carnations, foxgloves, oriental poppies, etc. There were 

 large collections of native plants and an excellent display of 

 orchids. One table was filled with a choice collection of vege- 

 tables. A tomato plant grafted on a potato and bearing potato 

 tubers at the bottom and a tomato at the top attracted much 

 attention. 



The Rose and Strawberry Show was held June 22 and 23. The 

 exceedingl}' cold and rainy spring was not favorable to the growth 

 of the best quality of either fruit or flowers ; consequently the dis-^ 

 play was not large and the quality was not as good as in some 

 former years. In strawberries the Marshall took the lead in size 

 and quality. Beautiful collections of orchids were shown; also a 

 very fine specimen (trained) of Bougainvillea, large collections 

 of rhododendrons, and an exhibit of seventy-two varieties of 

 pjeonies. 



The Annual Exhibition of Plants and Flowers was held Septem- 

 ber 1 and 2. All lovers of flowers look forward to this annual 

 plant and flower show. The Upper Hall was devoted to pot plants. 

 Much credit is due the Committee of Arrangements for the taste 



