Ottawa Horticultural Society

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Fisher Essay Competition First Prize

FISHER ESSAY COMPETITION FIRST PRIZE

Written by Miss Charlotte White, 214 Third Ave. Class 4 G., 1930 Glebe Collegiate Institute

THE OTTAWA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Just 36 years ago, on January 17, 1893, fourteen men from fourteen different ranks of life but united by a common bond, a love for flowers, met in the home of Mr. P. G. Keyes at 452 Rideau Street and formed the nucleus of a Horticultural Society in Ottawa. Lt.-Col. Wm. White was elected President, Mr. P. G. Keyes Secretary-Treasurer, Mr. J. Craig of the Experimental Farm first Vice-President, Mr. Surtees second vice-president, and the remaining ten were the Board of Directors. Later, a public meeting was called, after which a charter was duly obtained from the Ontario Government incorporating the Ottawa Horticultural Society. In an interesting interview, the only surviving charter member of the Society, Mr. John Graham, stated that Ottawa has shown the effects of the Society from that day to this.

The aim of the society is to foster a love for flowers among the citizens of Ottawa and to beautify the city. . In this latter respect it has immensely improved the grounds around hospitals, charitable institutions, public schools and public baths. During the past two years the surroundings of the Plant Bath have been completely transformed at a cost of $224.00. For the furtherance of this work a member of the Horticultural Society sits, ex-officio, on the Civic Tree Planting Committee and the Society has promised to co-operate with the City Council to the greatest possible extent.

In the former respect, to follow the custom of the French "celui-ci" and "celui-la", the society has from the first distributed free to its members valuable premiums in the form of seeds and plants. In 1929 the value of these premiums was $632.00. The mere distribution of good reliable seeds and plants, however, is by no means the end of the Society's work, for flower shows, lectures, excursions, and junior garden competitions are held annually.

The flower shows are, perhaps, the best-known and most important activity of the Society. Visitors viewing the exhibits are cheered and enthused by the marvellous displays; and ex­hibitors have the incentive of competition to produce new and better blooms. During the first years of the society only one flower show was held a year and that in the old St. John's Church Hall, then on Sussex Street. Gradually, as the membership and enthusiasm increased, other shows were added, until in 1929 six flower shows were held, five of which were in the Horticultural Hall in Lansdowne Park. In addition to the many trophies and prizes donated by those interested, the society presented $769.00 in prize money last year.

It has become the custom for the majority of exhibitors to leave their exhibits for the Ladies' Committee to distribute among the hospitals and homes. This Ladies' Committee also raise bulbs during the winter to take to these hospitals and homes in full bloom. Usually the bulbs come from the society, but this year the ladies have procured the bulbs themselves.

Another important activity of the society is the annual lecture given by an eminent horticulturist. Last year the lecturer was the Rev. Mr. Tebbs of Burlington, Ontario, who gave a very interesting illustrated lecture on, "Famous English Gardens". Although only one lecture was given this year, during the Great War from three to five lectures were given annually on the general theme of "Vegetable Gardening". It was then, and partly due to the Society, that vacant lots in the Glebe and other districts were cultivated.

Yet another interesting feature of the Society's programme is the annual excursion to the Experimental Farm or to Government House Gardens. Unfortunately neither of these were possible last year, although a very interesting exhibit of new varieties of apples originated at the Experimental Farm, was arranged by Mr. Macoun, the Dominion Horticulturist.

Then there is the junior garden, competition. Last year, over two hundred pupils of the Ottawa Public Schools contested for the sixteen prizes awarded for the best gardens. What an opportunity lies in this practice, of instilling in children who will be the men and women of the future, a lover for things beautiful!

Ottawa has produced some of the most learned, devoted and skillful, makers of gardens and propagators of new varieties of plants that Ontario 'has ever known, who have been encouraged in countless ways by their friends banded together in the society. One good example of such is the late Mr. R. B. Whyte, one of the original fourteen members and a Past-President of the society, who gave to the world the Herbert raspberry, an unusually large and luscious berry, which is now one of the best known raspberries in Canada if not in all of North America.

The work of the Ottawa Horticultural Society is more far reaching than is generally believed, for one garden enthusiast, encouraged by the society, may improve the appearance of a whole neighborhood and make it a source of inspiration to any passer-by:

I wandered lonely as a cloud

When all at once I saw a crowd,­

Ottawa, however, is not the only city that has realized the value of the splendid work and influence of such a society. In 1929 there were 280 Horticultural Societies in Ontario, affiliated with the Ontario Horticultural Association, and having an aggregate membership of 80,000. This widespread growth of societies illustrates the important factor it has become in Provincial life.

The Ottawa Horticultural Society has an educational and not a money-making aim. The revenue for last year was derived from the grant of $316 from the Ontario Government, the grant of $700 from the city, a liberal donation from the Ontario Vegetable Growers Association, donations of over $200 from friends of the society, and from the membership fees of one dollar per person amounting to $906. The society well merits the support of all public-spirited citizens of Ottawa because the larger the membership, the greater will be the beneficial influence it will exert in the Capital of our great Dominion.

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