Saturday Evening Gazette/June 7, 1856/Horticultural Exhibition

Horticultural Exhibition.—The exhibition of flowers to-day, at the Horticultural Hall, was very fine—the main features of the show being peonies, azalias, and hawthorns, many specimens of each being presented. Of the latter E. A. Story, of Brighton, had by far the most splendid collection. J. A. Kendrick, of Newton, likewise exhibited some beautiful specimens of the same shrub. The hardy azalias were of an elegant character, and the peonies gorgeous in the extreme. A seedling peony, from E. S. Cabot, of Salem, attracted much attention. It was a very fine species of the plant. A double flowering horse chestnut, from Thomas Page, Waltham, was likewise much admired. It is a new variety. The rhododendron was well represented, some capital specimens being exhibited. A fine rhododendron tree, from George Dodge, Boston, formed a prominent feature in the exhibition. Galvin and Hogan, of Somerville, made a very beautiful exhibition of cut flowers and a large bouquet revealing great taste in arrangement. Their pansys and rhododendrons were very elegant. J. Fiske Allen, of Salem, exhibited the flower of the Victoria Regia, that is alluded to in another column. Mrs. W. J. Underwood, of Wellington Hill, made an exceedingly neat display of 29 varieties of wild flowers, some of a very singular character. Of the peonies, as it was prize day, there were many varieties, of which M. P. Wilder, J. S. Cabot, Hovey & Co., and Joseph Breck & Sons were the principal contributors. Among those by the latter was a light carmine pink peony of much beauty. Mrs. Ashley, of Newburyport, contributed a very elegant show of pansies.

Of fruits but little was exhibited, dishes of nectarines and peaches, from J. Fiske Allen, of Salem, and some superb specimens of Cannon Hall and Alexandria grapes, from Jos. Breck & Son, of Brighton.

Of vegetables, large specimens of pieplant were exhibited from J. B. Moore of Concord, Jos. Breck & Son, and Bowen Harrington. Of that exhibited by Mr. Moore, 12 sticks weighed 23 lbs., and one of them two pounds. A very fine speciment of squash was exhibited, called the sweet potato squash, by Francis Marsh, of Roxbury, said to preserve its quality of taste for a long period.

The following prizes and gratuities were awarded by the committees:

Hawthorns—1st, E. A. Story, Brighton, $3; 2d, J. A. Kendrick, Newton, $2.

Hardy Azaleas—1st, M. P. Wilder, Cambridge, $6; 2d, E. A. Story, $4; 3d, J. A. Kendrick, $3.

Shrub Peonies—1st, M. P. Wilder, Dorchester, $5; 2d, E. S. Cabot, Salem, $4; 3d, J. Breck & Son, $3; gratuitiy to Hovey & Son, $3.

Gratuities.—To Thomas Page, $2, E. S. Rand, Jr., $2, and Parker Barnes, $2, for cut flowers; W. J. Underwood, for Pansies, $2; Mrs. W. J. Underwood, for native plants, $2; Galvin & Hogan, for cut flowers, $2; James Nugent, for same $2; George Dodge, for plant Rhododendron, $1; J. S. Cabot, for seedling peony, $1; Mrs. Wm. Ashley, of Newburyport, for pansies, $1; J. F. Allen, for Victoria Regia, $2.