Essex County Natural History Society. 459 



taken six first class prizes. Duke of Cambridge, damson, has taken sev- 

 eral first class prizes, and one of two best self dahlias of the season. Sir 

 Edward Antrobus, (Keynes,) bright red crimson, the finest dark self of the 

 season, has taken six first class prizes at the grand metropolitan dahlia shows ; 

 habit fine, and in every respect has proved a first rate flowerer in England. 

 Gaines's Princess Radziwill, another of the new dahlias which has been 

 much commended, is not yet let out ; on this it is remarked " the flower is 

 pretty, but small, too small for a good, first rate flower." The best of the 

 new fancy dahlias is probably Alice Hawthorn ; of these we may be able to 

 give some description in a future number. 



Ganymede, a puce ; Floribunda, purple ; Marengo, very dark, are all of 

 high cost and highly recommended, but have not been seen in bloom by my 

 correspondent. — E. W. 



Art. III. Exhibitions of Horticultural Societies. 



The Exhibitions of the several Horticultural Societies have been very 

 interesting the past year. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society, re- 

 ports of which have regularly appeared, have been far more splendid than 

 those of any previous year ; the new^ hall has proved to be a fine place for 

 exhibitions, and the increased number of exhibitors, as well as the greater 

 number of new and rare plants recently imported, has added greatly to the 

 weekly displays. The report of the Essex County Natural History Soci- 

 ety, though much abridged, will show the advance made in the vicinity of 

 Salem, particularly in the cultivation of pears. The report of the Pennsyl- 

 vania Horticultural Society has not yet appeared in print, but we believe 

 the exhibition vvas as interesting as any which has preceded it. The 

 American Institute had a very good display this year, but we have seen no 

 published report. 



Essex County Natural History Society's Exhibitions.— During 

 the past winter, the Hall of the Society has been much enlarged and thor- 

 oughly repaired,— affording superior accommodations for the horticultural 

 displays ; partly on this account, but more especially owing to the increased 

 taste for the delightful pursuit of Horticulture, the exhibitions have far ex- 

 ceeded in beauty and variety those of any previous season. 



Annexed is a brief abstract of the principal varieties of flowers and 

 fruits exhibited at the weekly exhibitions, the names of the contributors, 

 and a particular enumeration of the varieties are omitted. In the early 

 part of the season, the greenhouse plants formed a conspicuous part of the 

 show, as the great variety of the geranium, fuchsias, roses, azaleas, rhodo- 

 dendrons, &c., mingled with some of the bulbous and more hardy species 

 as the tulips, hyacinths, narcissus, trollius, pansies, polyanthos, &c. 



After these had passed away came the lovely rose, which stands unri- 

 valled as the queen of flowers, of which, during the month of June, our 

 stands were loaded with an almost infinite variety, including several hun- 



