36 [Assembly 



One of the most interesting features of the Horticultural De- 

 partment still remains to be noticed. Nothing would be so much 

 missed, nothing would detract so much from the general charac- 

 ter of the Fair, as the absence of Flowers. Being, as they are, 

 objects of universal admiration, they excite more interest, and 

 attract a larger number of visitors, than any other one thing, not 

 excepting even the Fruit. The Fruit and the Flowers may be 

 said to constitute the chief center of attraction. So long as a 

 good display of these interesting objects can be secured, so long 

 will the Fairs of the American Institute retain their- interest in 

 the public mind. On the present occasion we had not only a 

 large, but a very^^beautiful display of Flowers ; much better, in- 

 deed, than the season gave promise of. The much-needed rains 

 in the fall insured us a fair representation of Dahlias and Roses, 

 which constitute the chief objects of interest at this season of the 

 year, though there are others of great beauty. Dahlias, at the 

 opening of the Fair, showed the effects of the drought very 

 plainly, being small and badly developed ; but this did not con- 

 tinue long, for in a few days a decided improvement was clearly 

 perceptible, both in size and form. I ought to state, however, 

 that two or three stands were good from the beginning ; but the 

 exhibitors, in l^these cases, had watered their plants freely with 

 Croton; a labor of no small magnitude. Altogether, the display 

 of Dahlias was a very beautiful affair. The show of roses was 

 very large, and^ every way fine. Two of the exhibitors kept on 

 their stands upward of 500 Roses, during the whole four weeks 

 of the Fair, making a magnificent disj^lay of this lovely flower, 

 for which they deserve much praise. There were other stands 

 of smaller size, but still very pretty. The great beauty and 

 grateful fragrance of the Rose, and the many associations connec- 

 ted'with it, have made it the universal favorite among flowers, and 

 there is no probability that another will ever usurp its place, so 

 that in one particular it may be taken as the emblem of constan- 

 cy. There was a grand display of Bouquets, very much the lar- 

 gest and finest that I have yet seen. I ought to state, and I do 

 it with much gratification, that Mrs. Smith of Sydney Place, 

 Brooklyn, sent us upward of twenty Bouquets of much beauty, 

 and containing many choice flowers. The most interesting fact 

 is, that many of these Bouquets were arranged while she was 



