One thousand one hundred of the florists and their friends, were entertained by Mr. Childs, at his beautiful grounds at Wootton. When the party had assembled in the woods near the house, Mr. Childs was loudly called for. He asked Mr. Meehan to respond for him, which he did, and Mr. Hendricks, of Albany, responded ably on behalf of the florists. Many have expressed a desire to have these two speeches preserved, as well as the printed addresses. We asked Mr. Meehan and Mr. Hendricks, if they would write them out for our readers as far as they could be remembered. Mr. Meehan has endeavored to do so, but Mr. Hendricks replies that he does not like to trust his memory. We endeavored to get, at Mr. Hendricks' suggestion, the stenographer's report; but he properly replies that that report was paid for by the Florists' Society, and it would be injustice to other magazines, to give his work to any florists' paper, in advance of its appearance in the published transactions of the Association. Mr. Meehan said:

Ladies and gentlemen of the Society of American Florists, and of the Florists' Club of Philadelphia:

I have had the honor placed on me by my friend, Mr. Childs, to express to you in his name, the pleasure he experiences in having the company of so large a number of the florists of the United States, and their friends, present with him to-day, and to welcome them, one and all to - if I were not speaking for him, I should certainly say - these beautiful grounds.

It was, ladies and gentlemen, a happy thought that led you to select Philadelphia for this, the earliest of your meetings after the birth of your society, for this convention; for everything horticultural born in Philadelphia, has had a good measure of renown. The most famous botanic garden to-day of America, the first founded by an American, Bartram, was established in Philadelphia; the earliest and still existing Horticultural Society is in Philadelphia; and, if I may be pardoned, that I for once in my life refer to my own work, the oldest existing horticultural magazine in our country is in Philadelphia. Surely, your meeting here will be an augury of long life and usefulness. You will never regret that you held your meeting here; and it is the earnest hope of the proprietor of these grounds, that your stay shall be so pleasant that you may never forget that you did come.

The citizens of this city of Brotherly Love never forget the duty they owe to the earnest florists, who have gone on before. I do not hesitate to say, that one-half the pleasure Philadelphians enjoy, is, in some way or other, connected with Park, gardens or flowers. They owe immensely to your art. Do not then be surprised that they welcome you so warmly to their hearths and their homes. I will, at least, say for the proprietor of Wootton, what I know to be the fact - that a large portion of his life-enjoyment comes from his love for flowers and for gardening, which it is your peculiar mission to encourage and to aid; and that the welcome he tenders you today, is, in a measure, the response of his warm heart in gratefulness to the pleasure floriculture has accorded him.

Somehow, it is strange that a love of gardening unites men and women in the bonds of brotherly love, to an extent that no other pursuit seems to do. The standing sarcasm, that two of a trade never agree, is not true of the florist. Yet I am reminded, that if Grecian legend tells true, it was not always so; for a very sad event happened at the time the cut-flower business was first inaugurated. It was, of course, many thousands of years ago, and the business was founded by a woman. Glyzera was her name. "Twas she who first wrought flowers into garlands, with which the ancients crowned the heads of the victors in the Parthian games.

It may have been gallantry that prevented the young men of the early times from competing, but she in the innocence of her young heart understood that no one could possibly equal the make up of her work. Certain it is that she enjoyed a monopoly of the cut-flower trade. But there came along a youth from Byzantium. I believe his father must have been the parent of the modern Yankee, for this son did not need to learn a trade. To see that something had been done was enough for him to do it again. He made garlands. The poets patronized him. Glyzera grew jealous. Now just here I want to say I am convinced the story must be a myth. There are hundreds of young ladies in the cut-flower trade just as handsome and popular as Glyzera ever was, but who ever heard of one getting jealous? But jealous we are told she was, and that she gave out that this fellow, Lychnis - that was his name - was just no man at all. Now Glyzera had a lover - this part of the story may be true, for all cut-flower ladies have hosts of them - his name was Satyrion. What Glyzera said to him about poor Lychnis the world never knew, but Lychnis was found dead - dead by Satyrion's hand, and for yards around the thirsty earth had drank in the young garland-maker's blood.

The poets cried to the Gods for vengeance, and Apollo made from this blood to spring the Carnation or Florists' Pink. How good comes from evil! From this sad tragedy arose a flower which in sweetness and light airy elegance almost rivalled the rose ! And what a punishment for the unfortunate Glyzera ! To know and to feel that every carnation flower that she used was part of the life-blood of one she had in life despised. With such a terrible lesson as this at the first beginning on earth of their business, no wonder brotherly love prevails to the pleasant extent it does. The outside world will not ask why it is that the proprietor of these beautiful grounds offers you the cordial welcome he desires to do today. They will simply note that flower lovers everywhere love one another.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me again say on behalf of Mr. Childs, that he feels sure that the hearty welcome everywhere extended to you by so many of his fellow-citizens in the city of Brotherly Love will be long remembered by you, and he ventures to hope that when in the distant future you look back in review of the week's experience, your visit to him at Wootton may have a pleasant place in the happy scene.