61 



increased appropriation to this department for the coming year, 

 and also a special appropriation for premiums on the Gladiolis, 

 there being an evident growing interest in the cultivation of 

 this beautiful flower. This year, some very rare and elegant 

 specimens were exhibited by Miss Mary E. Lunt and Martha 

 E. Jackman, v/hich were richly deserving of a higher award 

 than they were able to give. 



The display of Evergreens, by Mr. Thurlow of West New- 

 bury, embracing fourteen varieties ; also Native Flowers by 

 Mrs. Isabella S. Ladd of Groveland, and others, embracing 

 nearly one hundred varieties, call for special mention. The 

 committee cannot too warmly recommend to the society the 

 importance of giving increased aid to this prominent and in- 

 teresting department. 



Committee — James F. West, George D. Glover, John Price^ 

 John G. Whittier, Charles M. Bailey. 



VEGETABLES. 



Any thrifty housewife who was compelled by untoward cir- 

 cumstances to drop into the dinner pot an onion weighing one 

 pound, or a turnip beet weighing six pounds, would consider 

 herself unfortunate, and when "boiled dinner" came to the table 

 John would not be expected to go into raptures over the thick, 

 coarse sloughing layers of the onion; the stringy, flavorless beet. 

 Now an onion is grown for table use only, and as a rule turnip 

 beets are grown for table use only ; why then should a false 

 standard be encouraged on our exhibition tables by awarding 

 premiums to specimens of these two vegetables, whose size 

 would render them utterly worthless for the table, the only 

 use now made of them. 



The carrot has a double use, being cultivated for the table, 

 and for stock ; for our tables we want the sweetest, the finest 



