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REPORT OP COMMITTEE ON FLOWERS. 



The exhibitions of Flowers and Pot-plants for the past 

 two seasons have far excelled those of any previous years 

 in size and .general excellence of the specimens, the exhi- 

 bition of 1884 being even better than that of 1883. The 

 want of proper facilities for exhibiting cut flowers as well 

 as the limited space generally available for this department 

 in most of the towns where the exhibitions of the society 

 have been held, has prevented, in a great measure, a fair 

 display of the floral resources of the county. For the two 

 past seasons, however, the exhibitions at Salem have been 

 held under diflerent circumstances. 



This city has long been known as a horticultural centre, 

 perhaps more prominently so in the past than at present, 

 ^or a taste for horticulture has of late years rapidly devel- 

 oped in many places where formerly none existed. 



In 1850, the year the last cattle show was held in Salem, 

 the Essex Institute assumed charge of the hall exhibit. 

 Under its management tlie display was much enlarged over 

 previous shows, and for the first time an admission fee was 

 charged. This plan worked so satisfactorily that the trus- 

 tees have ever since continued its practice. The Institute 

 has regularly conducted Horticultural Exhibitions in Salem, 

 since 1834, and can fairly claim a large share of the credit 

 in developing a love for this branch of Agriculture. For 

 the pui'poses of its exhibitions the lustitute has accumulated 

 a large stock of stands, vases, cut-flower cases, bottles, &c. 



The free loan of this material and the co-operation of the 

 Institute by uniting its annual fall exhibition with that of 

 tlic Essex Agricultural Society, together with the uuequalled 

 exhibition space afforded on the stage of the coliseum 

 Ituildiug. luado it possible to bring together and properly 

 arrange an excellent collection of plants and flowers. The 

 stage as used was about oO feet by Bo feet with a height of 

 20 feet. Around the sides and rear were placed stands 

 which were completely filled wiih^,cutflo\vers : boquets, de- 



