This institution has reason to be proud of the commemoration in Philadelphia of its second birthday. The number of intelligent men and women who attended, representing the trade, all the way from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic, and from Canada to South Carolina, was phenomenal. The addresses were of a high order, and did credit to the trade. They were all of a character tending to practical value, except when they touched on moulds, funguses, blisters, rots, and such like, when it was found that the " opinions " of members had to take the place of facts, and then no one member seemed to agree with each other.

The exhibits also were made with a view to immediate practical value. Everything likely to be of practical use, from the greenhouse itself to the flower pot, or that would tend in any way to advance the art of the florist, had something to represent it and the whole exhibit was singularly instructive. And of the men and women in attendance it is fair to say that it presented a more than usual amount of intelligence and culture than is seen in the average trade convention, and the impression made on the citizens of Philadelphia was exceedingly pleasant, and brought with it a greater amount of attention and respect than usual.

The horticultural press was well represented. Among others especially active were Popular Gardening, Floral Cabinet, and of course American Florist, which, though with no connection with the society, was yet, as a trade journal, the outgrowth of the formation of the Florists' Society.

Of the receptions of the meeting by the citizens of Philadelphia and its " Florists' Club," it does not become us, perhaps, to speak; but we believe we voice the sentiment of the whole body of visitors when we say that it was an occasion that will be long remembered by its participants.

The entertainments given by the Florists' Club, at Atlantic City, and that by Mr. Geo. W. Childs, of the Public Ledger, at Wootton, his country seat, seemed particularly to gratify the guests. At the latter there were one thousand one hundred present, the greatest gathering of flower raisers and flower lovers ever perhaps gathered together in our country. Mr. Meehan was asked to welcome the guests in behalf of the generous proprietor, and Mr. Hendricks, of Albany, to respond for the florists. These impromptu addresses were regarded as singularly opportune and worthy of preservation, and if we can prevail on these gentlemen to write them out for us, we will give them in full in our next issue.

As our magazine goes to press before the convention has fairly ended, we can only at this time give this general sketch of it.

French Opinions Of The Society Of American Florists

Journal des Roses has an American correspondent who speaks in the highest terms of this new body. He believes it has started out to do an excellent work. He notices particularly the efforts of the body at its meeting in 1885, to straighten out the synonyms of roses. It describes in humorous vein the many false names under which some roses are masquerading in our country, and reflects especially on one, which in France is a good young lady named Antoinette Strozzio, should here in America, "attempt to personate a very respectable gentleman named E. Y. Teas, who, equally with the rose itself, is refined and elegant." Mr. Teas will surely pardon the lady, when she has been the means of securing him this handsome compliment.