234 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Bristol ; Mr. W. L. Warner upon the ISIartba's Vineyard ; Mr. 

 Metcalf J. Smith upon the Middlesex South ; Mr. Ladd upon 

 the Worcester South ; Mr. Hadwen upon the Housatonic ; 

 Mr. Baker upon the Hampshire ; Mr. Sanderson upon the 

 Essex; Mr. Davis upon the Middlesex North, and Mr. Chad- 

 bourne (read by the Secretary) upon th^ Worcester North. 



Committees were announced by the chair, as follows : — 



1. On the Assignment of Delegates. — Messrs. W. L. Warner, Stone 



and Vincent. 



2. On the Assignment of Subjects for Essays. — Messrs. Davis, Sar- 



gent and Shepley. - 



3. On the Time and Place of Holding the Country Meeting. — Messrs. 



Moore, Hawes and Hadwen. 



4. On the Noinination of the Examining Committee of the Massachu- 



setts Agricultural College. — Messrs. Phinney, Saltonstall and 

 Bennett. 



On motion of Capt. Moore, it was — 



Voted, That the country meeting be held on the 14th, 15th 

 and 16th of November. 



Col. Wilder then submitted the following essay upon the 



METHODS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF FRUFIS. 



In conformity to the duty assigned, your Committee submit 

 the following suggestions as pertinent to the inquiry. What 

 methods can be adopted to secure improved varieties of fruits? 



The great loss sustained in the mportation and trial of 

 trees from foreign shores, and even from different quarters of 

 our own country, which are not adapted to our own location, 

 suggests the answer. That new varieties must be produced from 

 seed, and be to the manor born, to remedy this evil. 



The adaptation of plants to various climates, and their dis- 

 tribution over thee arth, involve a study so profound, that few 

 have any definite knowledge on the subject. Why some are 

 suited, by their constitution, to a wide extent of territory, and 



