FRUITS AND FLOWERS. 407 



quality, notwitlistanding the unfavorable season for the ripening 

 of grapes. 



E. S. Rogers, of Salem, presented samples of fifteen hybrid 

 seedling grapes, produced by crossing the Black Hamburg and 

 Sweetwater with a large native grape called the " Mammoth." 

 The committee compared these with the Isabella, Diana and 

 Concord varieties, and regret to say, that they did not find any 

 equal to the Isabella or Diana. They observed a marked diifer- 

 ence in the numbers, and made a record for future reference. 

 Mr. R. writes, that " the two best varieties are gone, having had 

 only a bunch or two — that his vines are hardy — that he has in 

 all forty-five now growing, most of which will probably fruit 

 another year." Among so many we shall hope for a good wine 

 grape adapted to our northern climate. 



The committee should be informed of the time of ripening, on 

 or before the fifteenth of September. Mr, Rogers will, doubt- 

 less, another year, meet all the requirements of the society for 

 premium, which he is probably aware cannot be awarded, if 

 deserved, until the fruit is tested by the committee two years. 

 He has commenced in the right way, and such efforts will in 

 time be rewarded, more substantially than by even our highest 

 prize or praise. Experiments, whether novel or common, 

 begun, watched and perfected under one's own direction, have 

 their gratifying reward, as they progress, and in the end may 

 prove a lasting honor to the author, and a boon to posterity. 



How recently were the native strawberries, raspberries and 

 blackberries from the fields and wilds, the chief source of supply 

 to our cities. The remarkable improvement by hybridizing 

 these, especially the former, should stimulate and encourage to 

 equal perfection in the cultivation of other small though not less 

 indispensable fruits, such as the cranberry, thimbleberry, whor- 

 tleberry, &c., even at the risk of injustice to certain industrious 

 dames, who may be led to exclaim with Othello, that their " occu- 

 pation's gone ! " 



It is well known that many of our most valualjle apples and 

 pears, natives of this country, are chance seedlings. What 

 inducements have we, then, to further perfect these invaluable 

 fruits, in their congenial soil, by science and skill so successfully 

 employed in other countries,under less favorable circumstances. 



E. G. Kelley, Chairman. 



