REPORT OF THE SECRETARY AND LTBRARIAX FOR 

 THE YEAR 1919. 



The year 1919 completes the ninetieth of the Society's history. 

 The adverse conditions of the past two years are gradually passing 

 and the ten exhibitions of the Society held during the year have 

 shoAvn a marked improvement. The appropriation for prizes was 

 S3,500 of which only $500 was de\oted for flower exhibits, and this 

 for outdoor grown flowers exclusi\ely. Thus the greater part of 

 the prizes offered was for the encouragement of the fruit and 

 vegetable interests resulting in very satisfactory exhibits and com- 

 petition in these important classes. 



The old-time exhibits of greenhouse flowering and foliage plants 

 have notably diminished in recent years due to the fact that many 

 private estates have felt obliged to close their greenhouses in whole 

 or in part on account of the necessity of conserving fuel and also 

 by reason of the scarcity and high cost of labor. 



The summer and autumn shows of roses, peonies, irises, gladioli, 

 and dahlias showed the increasing interest in these popuhir outdoor 

 plants. 



The largest show of the year was the Fruit and Vegetable Exhi- 

 bition, September 2.5-2S, at which 581 prizes were offered and 38S 

 competed for and awarded. At this exhibition a section of special 

 prizes for exhibits of the products of home vegetable gardens was 

 scheduled, embracing 42 classes of two prizes each nearly all of 

 which had numerous entries. This innovation is one that should 

 receive more encouragement in future schedules. The Massa- 

 chusetts State Department of Agriculture offered at this exhibition 

 and the Children's Garden Exhibition $700 in prizes all of which 

 was awarded. 



The experience of the year as well as in all the years of the 

 Society's history has shown pretty conclusively that if exhibitions 

 of garden products are to be maintained as prominent features of 

 its work encouragement must be offered to exhibitors and that 

 money prizes seem to be the most acceptable. 



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