The new President, Dr. Henry P. Walcott, gave his inaugural address on the 2d of January. It was very well received by the members, and his presidency promises to be a very successful one.

Horticulture receives patronage from the best people in the vicinity of Boston, and hence its exhibitions are always among the best in the world. We say, among the best in the world, for a friend who has seen these exhibitions recently, and also the great international one at Antwerp last year, assures us that outside of Palms and some huge foliage plants, the Massachusetts exhibitions would carry off the palm. Our readers may judge of the number of exhibitors in the class of strawberries alone, when it is noted that there were no less than fifty-two premiums awarded. When a new variety is introduced, and gets its reward anong such a host, it is something to be proud of. On this occasion one called "Gold," exhibited by E. A. Wood, received the Society's Silver Medal. Many old kinds still retain a foothold in these exhibitions. The Jucunda was in several collections, but we missed our old friend Hovey's seedling. Mr. Hovey himself had, however, the first premium for the best forty-eight specimens of Charles Downing, and Col. Wilder walked off with a number of premiums for various kinds. The Society offers premiums not merely for the "best strawberries," but for the best in each popular variety. This makes the competition more intelligent and instructive.

Cherries, on the other hand, do not seem to excite Bostonians. Only two premiums were awarded; one to Isaac Langworthy for Knight's Early Black, and one to S. Lock-wood, Jr., for Black Tartarian. Forced peaches were honord in a premium to W. C. Winter, for Early Crawford, and to the same for a fine plate of the Foster.

As in strawberries, so in roses. Premiums are offered for the best blooms of special varieties. Thus premiums were awarded six blooms of Alfred Colomb, David Allan; second, J. B. Moore & Son. Six blooms of Baroness Rothschild, David Allan; second, Mrs. Francis B. Hayes. Six blooms of John Hopper, Mrs. F. B. Hayes; second, J. B. Moore & Son. Six blooms of Marquise de Castellane, the second prize to J. B. Moore & Son. Six blooms of Merveille de Lyon, William H. Spooner. Six blooms of Mme. G. Luizet, Mrs. F. B. Hayes; second, David Allan. For the best twelve blooms of any other variety, J. B. Moore & Son, for Thomas Mills; second, David Allan, for Princess Beatrice. Special prize offered by a member of the society for the best twelve blooms of Merveille de Lyon, Warren Heustis. Besides premiums for roses in every conceivable form and shape.

But the great test of the interest taken by the cultivated classes in horticulture is always to be found in the plants exhibited; for it is well understood that one of the surest indications of culture in a community is to be found in flower growing. The following from the Transcript, tells the story :

" F. L. Ames fills a table at the rear of the hall; among his plants are the rare Laelia Schroederi and Masdevallia Schlemmii, also new. The plant of Laelia purpurata in this collection, which took the first prize for a single specimen, is a very fine one. David Allan, gardener to R. M. Pratt, fills a table with a large collection of orchids, among which are several fine plants of Cattleya, a Mossiae, C. Gaskilleana, Dendrobium chrysotomum, Odon-toglossum citrosmum, etc. Between these two tables is one filled with orchids from Thomas Graves, gardener to E. W. Gilmore, and Moss and other roses. John L. Gardner fills a stand near the centre of the hall with a fine collection of flowering plants, including several beautiful heaths, one of which, Erica Bothwilliana, takes the first prize for a specimen flowering plant - a large and fine Rhynchospermum jasminioides, pelargoniums, etc. From the Botanic Garden come Dracoce-phalum Ruyschianum Japonicum, with deep blue flowers, and hardy; a plant of Leonteopodium alpinum (Edelweiss); Jasione perenno (Campanulacese), Cattleya Mossiae, with thirty-three flowers, and Leucodendron argenteum (Silver Tree, from Africa). Hon. Marshall P. Wilder has the new Deutzia, Pride of Rochester; Schizophragma hy-drangeoides, and the new rose named for him by the originator, the late Henry B. Ellwanger. John C. Hovey has a collection of Richardson's new seedling paeonies and Edwin Fewkes a collection of beautiful hybrid Delphiniums. J. W. Manning has a large collection of hardy herbaceous plants, including Lilium pomponianum and Cypripedium spectabile.

Mrs. L. P. Weston has also a good collection, which, by presence of one shrubby plant, was, unfortunately, disqualified from competing for the prize. Robert Manning contributed a fine specimen of Actinida polygama, a Japanese hardy climber, which attracts much attention. Mrs. P. D. Richards brought an interesting collection of native plants, including Habenaria vires-cens and Rosa humilis, a common wild rose, lately determined to be a distinct species. E. H. Hitch-ings also has a collection of wild plants, including Rubus strigosus (the common wild raspberry), with beautifully variegated leaves; Ilex laevigata, Habenaria fimbriata, and a beautiful specimen of Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel). Mr. Hitchings and Miss Mary L. Vinal have Epigoea repens (trailing arbutus) in seed, in which condition it is rarely seen.