The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-08
LOVERS OF FLOWERS.
Annual Banquet Of the R. !. Hortl-
cultural Society.
ADDRESS BY HENRY l. PARKER.
He Spoke Of the Progress OF Horticulture
During the Past Half Century-Re-
marks b. Warren II. Manning, Alder
man Daniel Il. BaiIou and Others

ABOUT lOpersons ENJOY yeu INC seeoh" 81
nual banquet of Observation-Disclosures
tural Society ut Tillinghast's last night.
A reception was held from to o'clock.
and, at the latter hour. an excellent
menu was discussed.
President John G. Massie occupied the
seat of honor at the head Of the room,
aud at his right sat Gov. ID. Russell
Brown. Others at the tables were the
following: Chief Justice Matteson,
President Henry L. Parker OF the Wor-
cester County horticultural Society,
Warren Ii. Manning OF Brookline, Al
derman Daniel X. Ballou, Gen. Olney
Arnold, Amasa NJ. Eaton, u. l. Nicker-
son, Joseph 4. Tanning, Charles w.
Smith, Superintendent of Public Schools
Horace 5. Tarbell, Levi X. Russell, 4. X.
Parker and the X W Edward Holyoke OF
the Friendship S rect Baptist Church.
MIR. Holyoke invoked Divine blessing.
The tables were graced with andso ONE
axalea plants, loaded with blossoms, from
William X. Chapel. bouquets from the
Norwood green houses, and roses from
William A. Appleton. Jr. a large large bias, i,,.s
a agift TO Mr.. Masse by Farquar Macrea.
About o o'clock President .dassie called
the gathering TO order and introduced
Henry l.. Parker as the first speaker.
Mr.. Parker said 1T is an interesting
fact that about all we have in tue science
OF horticulture has been developed siuce
the birth, of the Worcester county and
Rhode Island Horticultural Societies.
that is in the past baif century.
Take the strawberry. Not very long
ago IL was hardly known. Now there Is
not a family so poor that it cannot afford
box during the strawberry season.
1.-The nrst grapes ever sent To New
York we're sent in lS45; fifty pounds was
the amount. The next year SONS 200 or
800 pounds we're sent The market was
overstocked and there was no sale.
In 1890 there was sent from that same
the immense develop nent or grape cul-
ture. The whole amount invested in
grape culture in the whole country
amounts to over $l55, 100000.
o. In the early flower exhibits the dahIia
was only displayed aud it was termed the
queen of autumnal flowers. Now it
would not so be considered. The devel-
opment of the chrysanthemum, for in
stance, has been reI-arkable. In other
flowers there has been great progress
in development.
I'm the vegetable line there has been
great progress. Fifty years ago the
tomato was hardly known to be edible,
and row it rivals the Irish potato. Gel
cry, also, is raised TO a much greater cx-
tent than formerly.
"These are practically the facts in re-
gard To tie progress OK horticulture in
this country. La England the progress
has been greater. The people went to
work earlier. In 1909 the Royal Horti-
cultural Society was instituted, aud in
1920 IL started the first experimental gar
den. IL sent out expeditions aud agents
Collections were made, greenhouses
were built, tanks for aquatic plants
made. n school Of botany organized and
everything done necessary for pushing
forward the work. This work of the
Royal Horticultural Slciety has yielded
rich return TO the British government,
and has become factor in economical
questions
In this country we should carry on
such a work. How will we do it? / made
the suggestion TO our society that we
have garden. But this is easier said
than done. In England the governments
is behind the botanic gardens. Here the
government has done very little in horti-
cultural work. In Washington, Cam
bridge and st. Louis there are botanical
gardens. In the latter place there is an
income OF S5O. QUO u year AID the managers
are bewaihng the fact that there Is not
money enough to carry on the work az
they want it done.
"Ihe government must take hold and
some central place be selected. Then
agents could make collections for the
Baruen. DeileVe tnat some uay We are
to have such garden.
Warren ii. Manning, Of the Massachu-
setts horticultural Society, spoke rs fol-
lows:
"At Geneva, where Prof. Bailey has
carried on important experiments, it has
been shown tuat growth can be faced by |
cleo ric lights. We have number of |
experimental stations in this country,
but the work il not appreciated by the |
public. At them it has been shown how |
insects may be destroyed.
The Egyptian moth does a great deal
OF damage. The state OF Massachusetts |
has appropriated funds to all in exter-
minating the moths think that this is
the first time state aid has been given |
for such purpose.
in New York almost $3.50, 600 has beel |
raised TO establish a botanic garden. In |
other places there are plans to estab iish |
gardens, hut as yet there are mons which |
amount to great dea,.
The important advance has been in |
native piants. They can be depended on |
when the foreign plants are short lived. |
In landscape gardening there has |
been an adva zee. The most i'm portaut |
recognition Of the profession was hen |
1t was decided TO lay out the Worlds |
Fair grounds according to u land scape |
artists designs
Letters of regret from Edward ".
Wood OF West Newton, Robert Manning,
secretary Of the Massachusetts Horticui- |
tural SCciety, and john G. Wyman. ex- |
ecutive commissioner of the board of |
Worlds Fair commissioners, state of |
Rhode Island, were read.
Alderman Daniel r. Ballou, who Is
acting mayor, made a very ielicitous
speech, and was followed by the Rev. |
Edward Holyoke, who spoke in an inter |
esting way on bis experiences IN farming
Gen. Olney Arnold and A. NJ. Eaton also |
smoke.
Daring the evening music was fur
nished by the Brown University Guitar
and Mandolin Club.