SEED-TIME MSD HARVEST. 
17 
The Second Annual Meeting* of 
the American Seed Trade Association was 
held in Horticultural Hall, Boston, Mass., 
on June 10th, 11th, 12th. 
The Editor of Seed-Time and Harvest 
had the pleasure of a flying trip to this 
venerable c.ty by the sea, and there met 
many noted members of the trade, whom he 
had before known only in a business way. 
The first two days’ sessions were devoted 
to the transaction of business and discus¬ 
sions of interest only to seedsmen. By in¬ 
vitation of the resident members the com¬ 
pany gathered at the Hall on T lursday 
morning and were escorted to the wharf, 
where the steame" Nantasket awaited 
them, and a pleasant sail down the harbor 
to Nantasket Beach followed. A sumptu¬ 
ous lunch was served at Rockland House 
Cafe, where baked clams and other season¬ 
able delicacies were enjoyed. In the after¬ 
noon we were driven in carriages to many 
points of interest around the city and its 
suburbs. Harvard College, Longfellow’s 
Home and Mt. Auburn were visited, near 
which the extensive farm and greenhouses 
of Mr. S. R. Pay son, formed a particularly 
interesting stopping place. An immense 
amount of money has here been expended 
in farming and gardening for pleasure, and 
everything is carried forward in the most 
scientific way regardless of profit. Many 
foreign fruits, flowers and plants here revel 
in perfection as though in their native soil 
and conditions. The place is noted as one 
of the finest private grounds in this coun¬ 
try. 
The crowning feature of the day’s fes¬ 
tivities was the Banquet to the Visitors at 
the Parker House in the evening. The com¬ 
pany, including many ladies, gathered in 
the front parlors, and at 7:30 o’clock, to the 
music of Carter’s full orchestra, marched 
to the Banquet Hall. After informal re¬ 
marks by Mr. John Fottler, Jr., who pre¬ 
sided, the company partook of the innu¬ 
merable good things which had been pre¬ 
pared for them. Among those gathered 
round the festive board were: Hon. Charles 
H. B. Breck of J. Breck & Sons; W. E. 
Wood (of Parker & Wood) and lady; C. H. 
Thompson and lady; E. C. Holmes and 
lady; Mrs. John Fottler, Jr.; John C. 
Hovey; Robert Farquhar and lady; Aaron 
Low and lady, of Essex, Mass.; W, E. Bar¬ 
rett and lady, Messrs. Hamlin & Johnson, 
A. Potter, of Providence, R. I.; H. C. An¬ 
thony and lady, of Portsmouth, R. I.; 
Alfred Henderson, of Peter Henderson & 
Co., of New York; William Meggatt, of 
Wethersfield, Ct.; C. L. Allen, of Garden 
City, L. I.; R. Niles Rice and John Brow¬ 
nell, of Cambridge, N. Y.; F. E. McAllister, 
New York; J. A. Bolgiano, of Baltimore, 
Md.; Everett B. Clark, of Milford, Ct.; 
E. D. Adams of Wethersfield; O. W. Clark, 
of Buffalo, N. Y.; R. A. Robbins, of Weth¬ 
ersfield, Ct.; Frank S. Platt, New Haven; 
A. D. Perry, Syracuse, N. Y.; Jas. Y. Murk- 
land, of New York; J. McCullough, of Cin¬ 
cinnati; Thomas Griswold, of Connecticut; 
W. W. Rawson, of Arlington; Mr. Wagner, 
New York; Joseph B. Robinson, Irving 
Magee, C. P. Braslan, Mr. and Mrs. Rollins 
and several ladies of Boston. 
The menu was tastefully printed, and 
bore the inscription on the frontispiece: 
“Complimentary dinner to the American 
Seed Trade Association by the seedsmen of 
Boston.” 
After full justice had been done the re¬ 
past, during which the orchestra rendered 
selections from the opera of “Martha” and 
other choice works, Chairman Fottler call¬ 
ed the assemblage to order. He said that 
the seedsmen of America had always been 
noted for their accomplishments in their 
chosen fields, and as talkers, when engaged 
in scattering their seed throughout the 
land, were without equals. He knew that 
there were many orators among those 
present, and as the season of wit and hu¬ 
mor had been reached, it was but in keep¬ 
ing with the spirit of the occasion that they 
should be heard from. The American 
seedsmen had rendered a good account of 
themselves since their arrival here, and had 
done work of which all the seedsmen of the 
country would be proud. He was glad to 
see so many of the ladies present, whose 
smiling countenances were always as rays 
of sunshine wherever they appeared. Spicy 
remarks followed from most of the mem¬ 
bers present, and we suppose more enjoy¬ 
ment is seldom crowded in one brief eve¬ 
ning than was experienced by those fortu¬ 
nate enough to be present. 
The next meeting of the association will 
be held in the city of Rochester, N. Y., on 
the second Tuesday of June, 1885. 
