FRUITS AND FLOWERS. 413 



ual there, presented one hundred varieties of the pear, yet the 

 committee believe they could not have been finer specimens 

 than those sent in by Mrs. John W. Wilson, of this town, who 

 presented twenty-two varieties. And next in excellence were 

 the twenty-four varieties of Edward Clarke. 



Few among us are perhaps aware of the profit that may result 

 from the raising of one variety of a single family of fruits. The 

 committee invite attention to a condensed statement: — 



A Virgalieu pear tree has been known to produce, on an 

 average, twenty bushels, annually, for twenty years. This crop 

 has been sold for $2 per bushel. Thus the profits of a single 

 tree have been 140 a year, for the last twenty years. In another 

 case, the profits of these pear trees have been annually from $84 

 to 1105. The owner was offered $100 a tree for them, and 

 refused it. One gentleman sold his crop of thirty barrels, year 

 before last, in the city of New York, for $15 a barrel, equal to 

 $450. This fruit was from a young orchard, containing several 

 hundred trees. It yielded, last year, about fifty barrels. These 

 at $15 a barrel, would bring $750, as much as twenty acres of 

 wheat would bring last year. An acre of one hundred large 

 trees would average, at least, thirteen bushels each, equal to 

 1,300 bushels, which, at the New York price, $15 a barrel, 

 (three bushels to the barrel,) would bring $6,500. This state- 

 ment tends to show us, that few understand the profit derived 

 from the delightful employment of raising fruit. 



There were some fine specimens of the cranberry raised by 

 Spencer Root, of Williamsburg, and Horace Jepson. Mr. Root 

 has a field of two acres, which, it is understood, he has begun to 

 cultivate. A box of prunes, prepared by Mr. Tribus, of this 

 town, and of tomato figs, by Mr. Dickinson, of Hadley, deserve 

 high commendation. If such fruit can be raised and prepared 

 here, it certainly deserves great encouragement. There were a 

 few peaches also on exhibition, of an excellent quality. 



The committee, in closing, would not fail to speak of their 

 great gratification in viewing the fine display of grapes — a fruit 

 not the least in importance and value among those on exhibi- 

 tion. The varieties exhibited were the Isabella and Catawba. 

 The grapes on the tables were fewer than might have been 

 expected. A fruit so healthful, so delicious, and so easily raised, 

 should induce many to cultivate it. It may be that the general 



