72 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



sliow}^ with their broad heads of deep purple. Blazing stars 

 {Liatris) are effective too in their purple shades. In yellow 

 flowers there are plenty of sunflowers yet, and compass-plants 

 {Silphium) are in several distinct forms. Gaillai'dias still persist 

 in blooming, and the goldenrods have been and are still making a 

 brilliant show. The Hame-llowers are defying the frost and 

 chrysanthemums are making great promise of bloom provided 

 weather conditions do not become too severe to enable the matur- 

 ing of the flowers. Leadwort (^Ceratostigma plumhaginoides) is 

 a carpet of richest blue, and the beautiful Japanese windflower 

 (^Anemone Japonicd) is at its best. Boltonia laUsquama^ too, is 

 still a mass of pale, lavender-blue flowers particularly effective 

 for cutting. 



October and November according to the mildness of the sea- 

 son continue the flower effect of September. Chrysanthemums 

 should be at their best as should also the Japanese anemones. In 

 the woods the witch hazel gives a glow of color with its clouds of 

 deep yellow flowers ; but flowering time is over and fruiting time 

 is at hand and attention must be diverted to this direction until 

 the scarlet maple commences the round again. 



James H. Bowditch, the chairman, remarked that those pres- 

 ent must now know just what to plant in their gardens. 



Adin A. Hixon stated that the principal thing in gardening 

 was to know the conditions of your soil, and this Avas necessary 

 in order to know what to plant to get satisfactory results. He 

 said that it was useless to try to grow rhododendrons, for instance, 

 in a light soil with a gravelly subsoil. The Siberian crab Avould 

 give one as good satisfaction as anything that could be set out. 



He was often asked what to set out around seashore cottages, 

 and advised the transplanting of the native ferns, plants and 

 shrubs of the immediate neighborhood. Amidst the ferns he 

 recommended the planting of tuberous begonias which he said 

 were the easiest and chea})est flowers to grow ; gladioli also were 

 very effective. 



One of the greatest difficulties to be met with in gardening 

 was the trouble with insect pests. This trouble could be largely 

 cured by the j^lentiful use of soap and water, which he consid- 



