1884.J 
the AMERICAN GARDEN 
HEW-YORK HOETIOULTtJRAL SOCIETY. 
The October exhibition of this society was 
held at Horticultural Hall on tlio 7th ult 
Several rare and valuable plants shown hero 
for the first time made the occasion of more 
than usual interest. 
Mr. J. H. Coela-att exhibited a rare and ex¬ 
quisitely beautiful Orchid under the name of 
Cattleya aurea, the correotuoss of which was 
doubted, however, by several specialists who 
pronounced it C. Dowiaua. The color of its 
flowers is very different from all other species 
of the genus. The petals and sepals are of a 
peculiar yellowish-bulT, while the lip is very 
deep amaranth-*purple, velvety, appearing 
almost blade when seen from some distance, 
and distinctly and sharply veined with golden 
yellow. The flowers were fully sLx inches in 
diameter and presented a really gorgeous 
sight. 
A Draewna Xindeiiii exhibited by W. C. 
Wilson attracted deserved attention. The 
bright green leaves are broadly striped with 
light yellow^ in marked contrast to the red¬ 
leaved species. 
The collection of foliage plants exhibited 
by Siebreeht & Wadley was one of the lead¬ 
ing and most attractive features. All the 
specimens were well grown and in healthy 
condition. Most notable among them were : 
Anthurium Andrcamim, Curcuma Boes- 
eoiana, Scliismatoglossis liolelem, Spliairogync 
latifolia, Draeaiiia Bausei, amabilis, Goklieaua 
terminally, Adiantiim decorum, Farlejiense and 
formosum, Alocasia macrorrhiza. 
The lai’gest exhibitors, as usual, were 
Hallook & Thorpe, filling about half of the 
table room in the hall. Their collection of 
single and double Dahlias, Gladiolus, Ge¬ 
raniums, Zinnias, and out flowers deserved all 
the premiums that were showered upon them. 
Several collections of Roses, Orchids, and 
other flowers and plants from various exhibi¬ 
tors we regret not to have had sufficient time 
to notice specially. 
Prominent upon the Fruit table were 
several plants of the new white Grape, 
Jessica, exliibited by J. T. Lovett; some very 
promising seedlings raised by F. Eoenbeek; 
also seedlings from Chas. C. Copley, and some 
magnificent bunches of hot-house Grapes 
raised by Mr. J. M. Kellar. 
Mr. Geo. Mathews made a ci’editable dis¬ 
play of vegetables, comprising all the sea¬ 
sonable kinds to be found in a well-appointed 
garden. 
The special Chrysanthemum exhibition, 
on account of the first Tuesday of the month 
being election day, will be held on Wednes¬ 
day the 6th of November. 
THE AMEMOAN INSTITUTE. 
Two special exhibitions of Plants, Flowers, 
and Fruits were held during the past men 
at the Hall of Industry, Third Avenue, fcnxty- 
third and Sixty-fom-th streets. The first open¬ 
ed on the 8th of October, continuing for lour 
days, and attracting thousa,nds of 
Several hundred entries were ma 
several classes competition was so 
to make the judges’ task an arduous on . 
The most notable features were the g 
excellence of the exhibits and the tasteful 
nmnner m which everything was arranged, 
giving (he whole a most attractive and im¬ 
posing appoaraiieo. 
Among tlio principal exhibitors in the 
J ant doiiartinent wo noticed Hallock & 
Ihorpo, W. C. Wilson, John Finn, James 
lliiehanan S. R. Shaw, and J. G. Rcehamps 
& Son. W. C. Wilson’s collection of liot- 
hoiiso plants comprised many valuable 
Laliiis, Crotons, Musas, Yuccas, Marantas, 
Antliiiriunis, etc., all in well-grown speci¬ 
mens. 'I’he large colleetion of Palms shown 
by John Finn attracted probably as marked 
attention as any exhibit in the hall. His 
apeciinou Bhmiix dacliUfora, Lalania Bor- 
lnnr)cf^and/’oHdo»M^,sJ(y/fe,withleavesspread- 
ingover five feet, were of remarkable beauty, 
and presented a gi’and sight. Hallock & 
Thorpe’s collections of various plants cov¬ 
ered an entire table running through one- 
half of the large hall; it was laden with 
many hundreds of rare and beautiful plants, 
and was constantly surrounded by an 
admiring crowd. A collection of twenty 
species of Selaginellas, the name of the 
exhibitor of which we could not learn, was 
highly interesting and meritorious. 
In the Fruit department, Ellwanger & 
Barry, of Rochester, were deservedly a warded 
all the first prizes for best collections. They 
exhibited a colleetion of 112 varieties of 
Apples and 73 varieties of Pears, in addi¬ 
tion to innumerable single plates, which to 
name would fill more than a page. T. S. 
Force, of Newbiu’g, showed, if not quite as 
large a number of varieties, remarkably fine 
and well-grown specimens. Daniel Van Alst, 
F. B. Kelly, and Win. Ottman made also 
creditable exhibits. 
E. and J. C. Williams, of Montclair, N. J., 
led the van in the Grape division, taking the 
first prizes for the host collection of ten, as 
well as that of five varieties, and also a large 
number for single plates. The new white 
Grape “Niagara,” exhibited by this firm, 
attracted a gi'eat deal of attention; the 
heavj^ full bunches measuring seven inches 
and more in length, and tastefully suspended 
from a small trellis, looked provokingly 
tempting. 
C. C. Crosby, T. S. Force, C. J. Copley, 
A. J. Field, and others showed also fine 
bunches of various varieties. The only ex¬ 
hibit of foreign Grapes were two glorious 
bunches of Barbarossa, weighing together 
ton pounds, from Arthiu" Rich. 
The, Vegetable table presented a few col¬ 
lections of Potatoes, and the leading vege¬ 
tables of the season. 
A special Geranium show was held from 
the loth to the 17th. Messrs. Hallock & 
Thorpe were, of course, the principal ex¬ 
hibitors, and were awarded most of the 
prizes. The efforts made by this firm, and 
the risk incuiu-ed in bringing so extensive a 
collection of valuable plants from so gi'eat a 
distance at this season, deserve high com¬ 
mendation, and probably few of those who 
enjoyed the sight of their magnificent ex¬ 
hibit can form an idea of the amount of 
labor and money expended in its production. 
John Parrel, gardener to William Barr, ex¬ 
hibited also a large collection of single 
plants, many of them of merit. 
The Chrysanthemum show, announced to 
be held on October 29th has, on account of 
the lateness of the season, been postponed 
till November 12th. 
217 
PETS AND OIULDEEN. 
The care of pots has a beneficial influence 
upon the health and character of children. 
In attending to them the time which most 
probably would be spentin idleness, or worse 
still, among bad associates, is occupied in 
healthful and instructive amusement. Chil¬ 
dren always learn about the habits, peculiari¬ 
ties, etc., of the animals which they keep as 
pets. And a very dull boy it is, who, having 
rabbits, will not eagerly read and remember 
everything he can find concerning them. 
“ From little beginnings great ends are pro¬ 
duced,” and the love for nature’s beauties has 
often sprung from the keeping of pets. Many 
great naturalists will say this. 
I admit it is very inconvenient to have 
one’s house filled with old bird-cages, squirrel 
and white mice boxes; the yard covered with 
rabbit hutches or bantam runs; the garret 
turned into a pigeon loft, or the choicest 
spot in the lawn occupied by a fish-pond. 
But we must remember our children’s char¬ 
acters are now forming, and that it rests 
with us, in a good measure, whether they 
shall contract habits beneficial or injurious. 
We must keep in mind the fact that, habits 
formed in youth, good or bad, will cling to 
them throughout then- futm-e lives; and if 
we prevent oiu’ children from forming evil 
associates we do a good for them for which 
they will bless us in future yeai'S. And when 
your sou rushes into the room with a rabbit 
imder each arm, and a paii‘ of white mice in 
each pocket, with eyes beaming with pride 
and love, and cheeks made rosy by exereise, 
and lays his pets before us for our approval, 
instead of greeting him with a eold glance 
and the pets with a look of disgust, pour 
words of encom’agement into his ears, and 
kindly pat the little creatures, thanking God 
that it is not the wine bottle or the card pack 
with which he is so infatuated. 
One bad habit in particular, incident to 
childhood, the care of pets will overcome; a 
habit which will have to be shaken off before 
they can enter on the stem duties of business 
life. I mean late rising, which, if allowed to 
get a firm hold, would deprive them of one- 
fourth of their wordly lives. If upon a son 
this habit has once fixed itself, buy a pair of 
rabbits, construct a hutch for them, and tell 
your boy if he will rise every morning at five 
o’clock and feed the rabbits they are his; if 
not, you know a boy who would be glad to do 
so. Most likely he will joyfully accede to 
yom- request. By degi'ees the habit of late 
rising will be conquered, and' a new one 
grafted in its stead, worth to him many 
hundred pairs of rabbits. 
Upon the health of sickly or delicate chil¬ 
dren the habit of early rising and oaring for 
pets has a most salutary influence, and in¬ 
stilling in their minds many ideas of much 
moral worth i 
The care for some living creature depend¬ 
ent upon a child for its wants, tend^ to de¬ 
velop some of the noblest traits of character. 
Before allowing children to keep pets of 
any sort, it is better to exact from them a 
promise that they will be punctual in attend¬ 
ing to the wants of the little animals placed 
so entirely in dependence on them for food 
and attention .—Feathered World. 
