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oration. Ploughins^, spinning, and the manufacture of oil 

 are conducted now just the same as they were two thousand 

 years ago, and their lamps or rather lights, for they use cot- 

 ton rags dipped in liquid grease, and equally primitive 

 stoves. The process of wine making is precisely the same 

 as it was in Bible times, the grapes being all trodden. 



Among many other characteristics of the Islanders, Mrs. 

 Wright mentioned the general absence of drunkenness, the 

 natural inclination to dancing and music, and the wonder- 

 fully sweet music the women will extract from jewsharps. 



Mrs. Charlotte N. S. Horner of Georgetown read a pa- 

 per on " Wild Flowers and Native Trees " of which she 

 has been a close student, and which was very interesting 

 and instructive. Mrs. Horner commenced with a history 

 of the early colonial interest in trees and wild flowers. 



Even before the coming of the white man the Indians 

 had commenced their work of reclaiming, and to them we 

 are indebted for corn, squashes, melons, beans, and tobac- 

 co. The planting of fruit gardens and orchards, followed 

 close upon the coming of the Pilgrims and Puritans, and 

 were the rule in the border towns and islands of Massachu- 

 setts Bay. 



Gov. Endicott planted his immediately after his arrival 

 in 1620. The planting of shade and ornamental trees 

 early received the thought of our ancestors, as is witnessed 

 by the noble specimens about the old homesteads ; and in 

 this connection especial mention is made of the Pearson 

 elm in Newbury, the Hale elm in Boxford and many other 

 ancient trees that are or were renowned for their size and 

 age. 



Allusion was also made to the gardens of our great 

 grandmothers, with their pinks, peonies, marigolds and 

 hollyhocks, mingling with the medicinal herbs ; such as 

 wormwood, spikyard, hoarhound, etc., traces of which may 

 still be occasionally seen in some fence corner or clump of 

 rose bushes, or lilacs, where they have bloomed for a hun- 

 dred years. Mrs. Horner here gave a long list of wild 



