New-York tribune., 1901-06-09
HORTICULTURE IN BOSTON.
A FLOWER SHOW OF NATIONAL IMPOR-
TANCE-A NEW BUILDING FOR
EXHIBITION PURPOSES.

Boston, June S-The Massachusetts, Horti-
cultural Society's building opened
on Monday with an exhibition which COM
manded wide attention. not only because OF
the beauty, variety and value Of the plants
but because ii conducted on novel
plan. Heretofore exhibitions OF similar char
a"ter have been competitive. and the con-
trihu'ors have shown the best from their col
lections With a view TO securing prizes. honorable
mention and in some instances for the purpose
of selling the floral products of their planta-
items and hothouses. The Boston show was
purely aesthetic. The great building which had
been erected To meet the demands OF the society
filed with growing plants which had been
sent Icy well known growers. none OF whom
had any personal interest in the show beyond
wishing TO make il a success. The management
was in the hands Of Professor Charles S. Sar-
gent. Icy whose direction the contributions were
arranged in an artistic manner. and when the
various groups were complete there was moth
ins in the way of label. placard sign TO in
dicate where they came from. Each contributor
had in mind only the exhibition as a whole.
The society has been in existence since lS.9
Ia the first years Of its life it boarded
around" and had no home Then it built a small
house opposite the Kings Chapel School. 1t
l. aimed there until 1860, when the space became
Inadequate. and a new budin, was erected in
Tremont-st. Through the nstrumentality of the
society frequent exhibitions of fruit. flowers
and vegetables were held and the organization
gained rapidly in popularity. About year ago
the present building begun from plans by
NheelWright & Haven on land which pur-
chased for $4,000. The structure itself
erected at a cost of about S2S5oo0. This sum
locks less formidable when one takes into con-
sideration the fact that the societys old home
was sold for SiO0opo The new building stands
opposite Symphony Hall, and harmonizes in
architecture with that building. Horticultural
Hall is an imposing structure, with 30 feet in
Observation-Disclosures. and 81 feet in Huntineton-
ave, containing about 160s) square feet of cx-
hhtion space. 1t has two exhibition halls ana
lecture room. and these are so arranged that
they may be thrown into one great hall: but Icy
means of short stairways. arches and turns
monotony is avoided. Skylights and windows
light ii by day and incandescent lights by night
ON the opening evening the contribut- TINS
I'm the we'll known flower growers almost
nllel the hall and the benches and settees
which had been placed between the rows Of
blooming plants had 20 be removed 10 make
room for the visitors who came in great num-
bers 10 look upon what was generally conceded
TO be the largest exhibition Of the Kind tat had
ever taken place I'm this country. As one en-
tered at the Massachusetts portal the first Oh
lects pointed out 10y the guide were the hand
some bay trees from Charles +. Sprague's place
In Brookline- These specimens were tall and
straight. about fifteen feet in height. and wer.
pronounced by gardeners the finest Of their kind
in the United States. \ few steps up a turn
10 the right brought the visitor 10 the exhibition
-oom. the observation-disclosures side OF the
building. This contained the first bit Of vivid