HORTICULTURAL SHOW, 4T 



50 varieties of pears; and Col. Marshall P. Wilder, of Boston, is 

 expected here with a large contribution from his famous pear 

 orchard. 



The great anxiety of each visitor Tuesday morning was to 

 know if the great lily had arrived. It came safely to hand, or 

 rather some of its leaves did at about 3 o'clock, in the midst of 

 the famous rain shower, and to the accompaniment of thunder 

 and lightning. It was contained in a huge thin square box, and 

 carefully packed in new-mown grass, suitably moistened. The 

 box was carried to the water basin by four men, carefully opened, 

 and then, when the crowd pressed thickly about, some wag asked 

 his neighbor if he saw anything green. We should think he did, 

 for each of the monster leaves must measure six feet across, to 

 say nothing of the edge which is turned up. The leaf is smooth 

 and green on the upper side, but purple, very thorny, and divided 

 into compartments by the thick veins and ribs, like the drawer 

 of a dry-goods merchant. The thorns and leaves and stem are 

 very sharp and strong, and about three-fourths of an inch long. 

 The gardener who raised these leaves says that each one will 

 bear a weight of one hundred pounds if it be evenly distributed 

 all over the surface. It is of a tough leathery texture, and 

 might serve as a float for a stout boy. The box being opened 

 the grass was brushed from the leaves, and then by the assistance 

 of several men, the huge things were carefully inverted and 

 placed in their watery abiding-place, where they float in their 

 majesty, amid the sylvan court about them, veritable giants 

 among pigmy leaves of ordinary plants. 



• In the salt water aquarium of the fair, there is to be seen one 

 of the regular game fish of New York sportsmen, known as the 

 sheepshead. It is one of the most beautiful of salt water fish, and 

 to catch one is considered an exploit of importance, even by our 

 most experienced amateur, Isaac Waltons. We believe that a fish 

 of this species has never before been exhibited in this city, and 

 the opportunity which is ofiiered of seeing it sporting in its native 

 element, will, no doubt, be embraced by hundreds. 



NATIVE AND FOREIGN GRAPES. 



The force of habit is such that when the public becomes accus- 

 tomed to one thing, and is taught to regard it as good, it is some- 

 times a hard task to convince it that there are better things of 

 the kind in existence. This dogmatic adherence to custom is 



