Horticultural Societies. 185 



Smith. And a special premium to Thos. Meehan, gardener to C. Cope, for 

 a basket of Hovey's Seedling strawberries. 



Vegetables, for the best and most interesting display, by a private gar- 

 dener, to T. Meghran, gardener to R. Cornelius ; and for the second best, 

 to T. Meehan. 



The following communication was read : — 



To the Pennsylvania Society. — In accordance with a suggestion of the so- 

 ciety, expressed in one of its regulations, that " notices of peculiarities in 

 culture, management, &c., of the objects exhibited, are often desirable," I 

 make a few remarks on the sexual cliaracters of the plants of Hovey's Seed- 

 ling strawberries I have exhibited this evening. 



This variety is usually classed as a pistillate, and considered worthless 

 when not planted in the neighborhood of a staminate kind. I find, by re- 

 peated observations, made while forcing them, that they become staminate 

 by being forced slowly in a moderate temperature, receiving at the same 

 time an abundance of light and a regular supply of moisture — conditions 

 well known as essential to a healthy luxuriousness of the strawberry. On 

 the other hand, I find that whatever tends to check that luxuriance, has a 

 tendency to produce the pistillate form. In the specimens before you, one 

 very weak from overwatering and deficient drainage, is a pistillate ; an- 

 other, a weak plant and forced rapidly, has the anthers very nearly abor- 

 tive ; while the other plant, which has been in the forcinghouse since the 

 middle of January, and in circumstances every way favorable to their 

 healthy development, are as perfect as possible. 



Last season, a number of plants, started in a temperature of 65°, and 

 ripened in one of 75° to 80°, produced all pistillates. Twelve runners from 

 these plants were selected, potted in small pots, and ultimately treated as 

 other plants for forcing. Some of the strongest of these produced stami- 

 nate flowered ; and the other five pistillate, like their parent plants. 



Another set of 100 pots, last season, forced very rapidly, produced plants 

 all pistillates ; a similar set, forced early this season, produced, all but the 

 weakest plants, perfect. 



It has been doubted whether the Alice Maud in many collections, is cor- 

 rectly so; and it has been suggested that the growers should observe 

 whether their plants are pistillates or staminates, in order to decide. 



I have submitted the above observations to you, hoping they may have a 

 practical bearing on that question, by showing the distinction between pis- 

 tillates and staminates to be worthless — cultivation producing either one or 

 the other. — Thomas Meehan. 



Five gentlemen were elected members. On motion, adjourned. — Thomas 

 P. James, Recording Secretary. 



NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Winter Show of Fruit at Albany. — We attended the annual 

 meeting of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, on the 8th, 9th, and 10th 

 inst., and the exhibition of fat cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry, &c., as well as 

 dressed meats ; grain and other farm products, was very superior ; but what 



VOL. XIX. NO. IV. 24 



