120 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



" Dear Sir : — As an interesting experiment, but more especially 

 to elicit information upon a point of much practical importance to 

 the farmer and amateur horticulturist, 1 desire your cooperation in 

 determining, as near as may be the best ten varieties of apples for 

 general cultivation for market purposes ; also, as to the two or 

 more varieties of pears best adapted for cultivation in the northern 

 and central parts of the State. Nomenclature, that adopted by 

 the Pomological Society, as near as may be. 



For this purpose I send you this card, which if you will fill out 

 as indicated by the numbers and return to me at your earliest 

 convenience, I shall be greartly obliged. 



Kespectfully yours, 



L. F. Abbott." 



These cards were each numbered from one to ten for apples and 

 two varieties of pears indicated, with space for brief remarks. 

 Fifty of these cards were inclosed and addressed to as many 

 prominent orchardists in the State. Only about seven-tenths of 

 the cards were returned ; probably some failed from being ad- 

 dressed wrongly, and others evidently were mislaid and forgotten. 

 The result of the voting " as far as heard from " was a trifle more 

 satisfactory and a good deal less complicated than our late Presi- 

 dential election, but some of the "returns " were about as tardy, 

 but they gave no uncertain sound when they did come. 



The following tabular statement gives the result. The figures 

 at the head of the columns indicate the order of excellence, and 

 those beneath, opposite the varieties named, show the number of 

 times that variety was named by different individuals. For in- 

 stance, the Baldwin was named as No. 1, twelve times ; as second 

 on the list three times, and only once as the lowest in the order, 

 as indicated under 10. The right hand column gives the wliole 

 number each variety received. The result, as indicated by this 

 experiment, would give as the best varieties Baldwin, 25 ; Rhode 

 Island Greening, 25; Northern Spy, 15; Talman's Sweet, 15; 

 Roxbury Russet, 13 ; Porter, 12 ; Ilubbardston Nonsuch, 12 ; Red 

 Astrachan, 12 ; Gravenstein, 10 ; Nodhead and King Sweeting, 

 each 8. Of pears the Flemish Beauty stands 12; Louise Bonne 

 de Jersey and Bartlett, 6 each, while the Beurre d' Anjou has 5. 



