1882.] 



91 



giral Jik 



A TRAILING ARBUTUS FESTIVAL. 



I wonder how many of the readers of the 

 American Garden have ever wandered forth 

 in the woods, on a bright sunny afternoon in 

 early spring, in search of the lovely Trailing 

 Arbutus flowers, hiding away so modestly 

 beneath the leaves which have protected 

 them during the winter. To those who have 

 never participated in such an enjoyable ex- 

 cursion, the following lines may convey a 

 faint idea of the pleasure derived from such 

 a ramble. The Trailing Arbutus, or May- 

 flower, as it is called in some localities, grows 

 in some profusion on "Elk Ridge," and the 

 sweetness and elegance of the bright pink 

 and white blossoms are highly appreciated 

 by the flower-loving young people of our 

 vicinity. 



Every year a considerable number will join 

 and have a little picnic, usually meeting at 

 Eev. J. S. G's, and when all have assembled, 

 the merry crowd, teacher and pupils, free 

 from the restraint of the school-room, all 

 start off together for the woods. And what a 

 time we do have! The air is filled with the 

 sound of merry laughter, gay snatches of 

 song, and exclamations of delight, as the 

 fragrant clusters of blossoms are lifted up 

 from their hiding-places beneath the oak 

 leaves. 



The first place of interest we reach is 

 "Fern Rock" — a rock of massive propor- 

 tions — with a fissure extending the length of 

 one side, from which the graceful Fern leaves 

 protrude in such abundance as to form a 

 huge curtain of beautiful green, "bedewed 

 beneath with drops of richest brown." Leav- 

 ing Fern Rock we next proceed to '• Chincapin 

 Spring," which lies at the foot of a hill cov- 

 ered with gigantic Laurels, and some Chin- 

 capin bushes at its base, from which the 

 spring derives its name. The spring is only 

 accessible by a narrow footpath, but once 

 reached it affords a scene of unequalled pic- 

 turesqueness. The limpid stream, clear as 

 crystal and delightfully cool, gurgles from 

 the mossy hillsides, and is eagerly surrounded 

 by the thirsty group, who quaff its pure waters 

 with an avidity that could not be excelled if 

 a fount had been discovered from which 

 issued the nectar said to be sipped by the 

 god Jupiter. 



When sufficiently refreshed we next seek 

 the " Old White Pine " tree, and as we ap- 

 proach it a solemn silence seems to steal 

 over the hitherto merry party ; for the rust- 

 ling of the afternoon breeze among the ever- 

 green boughs produces a melancholy sound 

 like the sigh of a broken-hearted one mourn- 

 ing the loss of the heart's idol. 



Fain as we would linger here for hours, the 

 lengthening shadows admonish us that it is 

 time to retrace our steps homeward, and ere 

 long we are again at the residence of "Papa 



G ," as he is familiarly called. While the 



somewhat fatigued group is resting, animated 

 voices rehearse the incidents of the afternoon, 

 busy fingers are engaged in the artistic ar- 

 rangement of the floral treasures, and when 

 the members of the party finally separate, 

 each one carries a fragrant little bouquet as 

 a memento of the anniversary of the bloom- 

 ing of the Trailing Arbutus. 



Miss M. E. Grimm. 



titiJiltiFil jjjtoeittiep. 



NEW YORK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The May meeting showed that the interest 

 of flower-loving New Yorkers in these exhi- 

 bitions is not abating. The hall was crowded 

 from the opening to the closing of the doors, 

 and it was notable that the number of intel- 

 ligent and discriminating visitors is steadily 

 increasing. 



The choice collections of Orchids exhibited 

 by R. H. Rathbun, John S. Bush, Isaac. 

 Buchanan, Wm. White, and others, formed 

 the leading attraction, especially a specimen 

 of Dendrobium densiflorum from Mr. R. 

 j H. Rathbun, which measured three feet in 

 diameter and had thirty-six large drooping 

 spikes. 



Geraniums were also in strong force and of 

 excellent quality, notably among them the 

 superb collections of Halloek & Thorpe. 



Woolson & Co's collection of herbaceous 

 plants was, as usual, a most attractive part 

 of the exhibition. 



The choice collection of New German Pan- 

 sies, exhibited by B. K. Bliss & Sons, was 

 much admired, and pronounced by many the 

 best Pansies exhibited in New York. 



A group of the new celebrated Lilium 

 longiflorum floribundum, exhibited by F. 

 R. Pierson, made a most effective show. 



The following premiums were awarded : 



For the best six Orchids, Amateur Class, 

 to G. H. Bond, gardener to R. H. Rathbun. 



For the best single specimen Orchid, Ama- 

 teur Class, to G. H. Bond. 



For the best six Orchids, Florists' Class, 

 first, to John S. Bush ; second, to Isaac Buch- 

 anan. 



For the best three Orchids, Florists' Class, 

 to John S. Bush. 



For the best specimen Orchid, Florists' 

 Class, to Isaac Buchanan. 



For the best specimen Azalea, to G. H. 

 Bond. 



For Geraniums, as well as for Carnations. 

 Halloek & Thorpe carried every one of the 

 seven first prizes offered. 



For the best six varieties of Amaryllis, to 

 G. H. Bond. 



For the best six Calceolarias, to Alfred 

 Smith, gardener to Samuel Colgate. 



For the best six Lilium longiflorum, or 

 variety, to F. R. Pierson. 



For the best twenty-five Hardy Herbace- 

 ous Plants, to Woolson & Co. 



For the best design of Living Plants, to 

 Halloek & Thorpe. 



For the best display of Cut Flowers, first, 

 to Halloek & Thorpe ; second, to Charles E. 

 Parnell. 



For the best twelve Tender Roses, to Ter- 

 rence Welsh, gardener to F. Goodrich. 



For the best six bunches of Azaleas, to 

 James Taplin. 



For the best display of Pansies, to B. K. 

 Bliss & Sons. 



For the best six Liliums, to John Egan, 

 gardener to Walter S. Gurnee. 



For the best dish of Mushrooms, to Samuel 

 Heushaw. 



The discussion on " Steam Heating of 

 Greenhouses," introduced at the previous 

 meeting with the excellent paper of Mr. John 

 Thorpe, was continued, and participated in 

 by many who have practical experience in 



this method, and all agreed that, if properly 

 arranged, it is the most economical, easiest, 

 safest, and best system of heating large 

 I houses. 



There will not be a meeting on the first 

 Tuesday in June, but instead of it a Rose 

 and Strawberry Exhibition on June 15th 

 and 16th. 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSERY 

 MEN, FLORISTS, AND SEEDSMEN. 



The seventh annual meeting of this Asso- 

 ciation will be held in the city of Rochester, 

 commencing Wednesday, June 21st, at 11 

 o'clock a. m., and continuing three days. 

 It is hoped and expected that there will be 

 , a large attendance from all parts of the 

 j United States and Canada — Rochester being 

 so accessible and so well known as a great 

 center of the Nursery and Seed Trade. The 

 objects of the Association, are: 1st, To af- 

 ford the members an opportunity to cultivate 

 personal acquaintance ; and 2d, The dis- 

 mission of subjects of practical interest to 

 the trade. All who feel interested in the 

 work of the Association are invited to attend 

 and participate in the proceedings. 



Specimens of Fruits, Flowers, Seeds, 

 Plants, implements, etc., are solicited for 

 exhibition. 



It is expected that there will be an exhibi 

 tion of Strawberries, Cherries, and Roses, 

 with other Flowers of the season, held in 

 Rochester during the meeting. 



The following among other subjects will 

 be discussed : New varieties of Fruits, Trees, 

 Plants, etc. ; Implements and Labor-Saving 

 Devices; Methods of Culture, Grading, Pack- 

 ing, etc., Transportation, Taxation, etc. 



Papers will be read by : Mr. Thomas Mee- 

 han ; Mr. John J. Thomas ; Mr. C. L. Wat- 

 rous ; Mr. Patrick Barry ; Mr. C. L. Allen ; 

 Mr. S. I). Willard, and others. 



This society, under the presidency of Mr. 

 W. C. Barry, and the secretaryship of Mr. 

 I D. W. Scott, is doing excellent work in the 

 | interest of progressive horticulture, and all 

 interested in trees or plants or landscape 

 gardening will be sure to find the meeting 

 both very pleasant and highly instructive. 



JAMES VICE, 



The news of the sudden death of James 

 Vick, the celebrated seedsman and horticult- 

 urist of Rochester, brings sorrow and regret 

 to many thousands of homes which have 

 been made blooming and cheerful through 

 his agency. No other man has ever done so 

 much to promote the horticultural interests 

 of our country and to develop a taste for the 

 cultivation of flowers throughout the land. 



From early childhood he had a decided 

 love for flowers, and during the greater part 

 of his life, he lived, he moved among them, 

 inhaling their perfume with every breath. 

 Flowers seemed to form part of his existence, 

 and as they gave pleasure and happiness to 

 him, he delighted to make others happy. The 

 loss of but few men in private life will be as 

 keenly felt and as sincerely mourned for. As 

 an upright, liberal-minded business man, he 

 was esteemed by all who had any dealings 

 with him ; but as a man of enlarged sym- 



11 



