At a recent meeting of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Mr. Wilder said that we are very much indebted to ladies for the improvement in the cultivation of flowers. He spoke of the time, very early in the history of this society, when it was proposed to elect Mrs. Governor Gore and Mrs. Griffith, of New Jersey, honorary members, but some thought the proposition of doubtful expediency, because a woman made trouble in Eden.

The trouble in Eden came from the laudable - though in that case, perhaps, mistaken endeavor to get the best everytime, - while her meeker husband was satisfied to go jog-trotting along. It is true she forgot the commandment, - but there is no proof that her easily satisfied, and mean, blame-on-her, worser-half, ever had sense enough to think of the commandment, or anything else. We always had an admiration for Eve, in spite of the failure of this, the first great effort at improvement in fruits, which she so daringly attempted.

It is surprising to find intelligent societies boggling over the admission of women. Some twenty years ago the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, broke through old traditions, and elected Miss Grace Anna Lewis, the well-known Ornithologist, and other ladies, to full membership in the body. The downfall of the institution was predicted, and a number of esteemed gentlemen resigned their membership. Ladies are now frequently elected and no one thinks anything strange of it. The institution is quite as prosperous as it ever was. In spite of this experience other bodies, even in progressive Philadelphia, still halt. Some two years ago, a lady with an admirable scientific training, - indeed we might say eminent in science, was unanimously elected a member. The same lady was recently presented for membership in the American Philosophical Society - a society founded by the liberty-loving Benjamin Franklin, and the woman-horror was so great that there were 15 against to 14 for her admission. Quite recently, at a meeting of the Linnaean Society of London, a lady was discovered in the visitors' gallery, where she had been invited by a member.

The old fossils were thunderstruck, and on motion of a member further proceedings were suspended until the invitation to the lady to leave the premises, had been carried into effect. The world does move, but very slowly in some quarters.