84 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
mon that we scarce need dwell upon its 
uses—jelly, paste, marmalade, etc. 
The Avocado pear for salads and again 
cooked a little and made into marmalade 
is highly prized by the cultivated taste. 
The citron we only preserve. 
Surinam cherries we can and jelly. 
The LeConte pear is canned, pre¬ 
served and dried here to quite an ex¬ 
tent. 
The grape grows in most healthy 
luxuriance, and could we but extermi¬ 
nate the mocking bird, bluejay and 
woodpecker we could grow the finest 
varieties such as Delaware, Concord, 
Brighton, etc., but the thick skinned 
scuppernong in several varieties gives 
us a chance for preserves and jellies and 
the juice of the grape brought to a 
boiling and sealed will keep indefinitely 
as a refreshing drink. 
Honey is largely produced in the 
state. 
Sugar and syrup from cane are manu¬ 
factured extensively. 
Bananas are raised to a limited extent 
(it is Jack frost who limits the extent) 
but we have enough for a delicious ba¬ 
nana pudding once in a while. 
The raising of strawberries is quite an 
industry in our section and who does not 
enjoy a strawberry short cake? 
Our subject as you see, is too' far- 
reaching—vegetables we have left for 
some one else tO' write about. 
We are indebted tO' Mrs. Chas. Lewis, 
of St. Petersburg, for suggestions re¬ 
garding fruits raised in that delightful 
part of the state. 
With many misgivings have we pre¬ 
pared these few notes. You know much 
that I have omitted, but if you kindly 
say ‘She hath done what she could,^’ we 
will feel repaid. 
DISCUSSION. 
(The discussion of Ornamentals was 
postponed to give way to the musicale 
tendered the society by the Ladies’ Fri¬ 
day Musicale and was taken up Thursday 
morning.—Secretary.) 
Mr. Blackman — I was particularly 
pleased with the postponement at our 
last evening’s session, of the further re¬ 
port and discussion of the report of the 
committee on ornamentals. The society 
is to be congratulated upon the able 
papers prepared with so much care and 
presented at this session on ornamentals. 
We have heard here a great deal on the 
strenuous side of the many questions 
and topics engaging our attention. It 
is just and fitting now that we should 
turn for a moment to the amenities of 
life, and to the ornamentation of our 
homes. I have been around over the 
state a great deal, and I am impelled 
to say and it is with much regret, that 
there is not enough attention paid to 
ornamentals. This committe deserves 
the thanks of this society for their en¬ 
deavor and work. It is a great work, a 
lovely, beautiful theme and a woman’s 
sphere. I am very much interested per¬ 
sonally, I may be pardoned for saying, 
for there is no greater pleasure at my 
own home than the morning’s stroll 
through my ornamental garden, where, 
in company with my wife and daughter, 
we gather morning after morning the 
lovely flowers, the mignonette for the 
