On Sunday May third, at the Hotel de Ville, was held a meeting 
of the Societe Centrale d'Horticulture de Nancy to celebrate this 
event. The hall was filled with M. Lemoine's own flowers — his Lilacs, 
Begonias, Deutzias — all the rare and wondrous things that through 
his efforts we are privileged to enjoy. 
M. Boulay, President of the Society*, says in a graceful letter: 
"Je n'insisterai pas, Madame, sur le caractere a la fois in time et 
solennel de cette petite fete: au milieu de ses admirateurs, dans 
le decor choisi de ses plus belles obtentions — a cette date fete de la 
nature et fete de la vie qu'il a si patiemment et si heureusement 
interrogee, M. Emile Lemoine a reju la consecration de vingt annees 
d'etude, d'efforts perseverants et de patient labeur. " 
The ceremonies were opened by M. Boulay. In a speech of 
enthusiasm and charm he expressed the veneration in which M. 
Lemoine is held by horticulturists throughout the world, and the 
affection felt for him by all who have the good fortune to know him. 
After the presentation of the decoration to M. Lemoine by M. 
le Prefet de Meurthe-et-Moselle, several addresses were made by 
dignitaries of state. The warmest appreciation was voiced, not only 
for M. Lemoine's horticultural triumphs, but for the personality 
of the man himself; his modesty, his heroic devotion to his work 
during the war, under great difficulties, and the many traits of 
character which make a firm foundation for his enduring fame. 
The following paragraphs, taken from the speech of M. Thirion, 
Vice-president of the Society, are of especial importance as they give a 
brief glimpse of this man, who, while sending forth his work to 
enrich and beautify the world, has kept himself so modestly and 
simply in the background. 
"Admire a I'etranger, surtout en Amerique et en Angle terre, tres 
connu en France, estime en Lorraine et trop modestement repute a 
Nancy , I'etablissementLemoine constitue une oeuvre horticole degrande 
envergure qui a donne un essor considerable a 1 'horticulture mondiale. 
Installe h Nancy depuis plus d'une demi-siecle, soixante-dix ans 
exactement, il a oriente ses cultures vers une voie nouvelle d'embticher 
et de deboires, I'obtention des plantes nouvelles par I'hybridation. 
Si nos souvenirs sont exacts c'est en 1852 que, de ce travail 
methodique, sortirent les premiers resultats: les Portulacca, pour- 
piers a grandes fleurs doubles, a coloris eclatants. Cette modeste 
.obtention vint a son heure, comme une modeste etoile eclairant la 
route du chercheur qu'etait Victor Lemoine. 
Au profane qui achete un Fuchsia simple ou double, un Geranium 
eclatant, un Begonia a grandes fleurs, il ne vient pas a I'esprit de 
rechercher I'origine de ces plantes. Les dimensions et les coloris 
inusitees des fleurs lui paraissent tellement naturelles qu'il les 
attribue soit a la culture sous verre, soit aux engrais employes. 
39 
