310 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Pears. — Summer : Doyenne d'l^te, Manning's Elizabeth, Clapp's 

 Favorite, Bartlett, Belle Lucrative, Doyenn^ Boussock, Duchesse d'An- 

 gouleme, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Onondaga, Seckel, Beurre Bosc, Law- 

 rence, and Winter Nelis. 



Grapes. — The grape-culture, Mr. Adams remarks, is still confined to 

 afewvarieties which have proved themselves best adapted to this locality. 

 Among those classed for hardiness, vigor, and productiveness he names 

 Concord, Clinton, Champion, Hartford, Ives, Martha, and Worden. He 

 regards the Champion or Talman, which is the same, as the best very 

 early grape, and the Worden as much prized, and earlier than the 

 Concord. Of the Concord, Mr. Adams remarks, "A single vine, eight 

 years old, on my own place, allowed to grow at random, ripened this year 

 a quantity estimated to exceed three thousand bunches, equalling in 

 sweetness and flavor those that came from the South." 



Strawberries. — Mr. Adams states that the cultivation of the straw- 

 berry is increasing. The kinds most approved of are Charles Downing, 

 Col. Cheney, Kentucky, Nicanor, Seth Boyden (No. 30), and Triomphe de 

 Gand. The Duncan is attracting attention on account of its earliness 

 and richness, and the Monarch of the West for its size and productive- 

 ness. 



THE PRESERVATIOISr AND REPENESTG OF FRUITS. 



In regard to the preservation and ripening of fruits there 

 is very little new to be reported. The conditions of success 

 are now pretty well understood. Our farmers who raise 

 apples in large quantities know how to do it ; but with deli- 

 cate fruits, such as the pear and grape, more care is requi- 

 site. 



The ripening of fruit depends on saccharine fermentation : 

 this is followed by other fermentations, as the vinous and 

 acetous. To prevent these, and preserve fruit in all its 

 beauty, freshness, and flavor, the temperature must be uni- 

 form, and kept below the degree at which the fermentation, or 

 ripening process, commences. Mr. Robert Manning in his 

 prize essay many years ago said, " The ripening of fruit is 

 the completion of the chemical process by which starch is 

 transformed into sugar, and is the first step toward fermenta- 

 tion or decay : therefore whatever promotes fermentation 

 will hasten the ripening ; whatever retards fermentation will 

 tend to its preservation." 



The conditions of success may be briefly stated as follows : 

 TJie perfect control of temperature, light, and moisture. Nu- 

 merous structures have been built both in our own and other 

 countries for this purpose ; and all experience shows that 

 these conditions must be complied with, or success cannot be 



