ORCHARDS. 105 



was clean and healthy, the trunks were straight, the tops well 

 proportioned. Had his ground been ploughed and cultivated, 

 we should have probably awarded him the first premium. 



John P. Mooiis, Chairman, 



HOUSATONIC. 



From the Report of the Com,mittec. 



Of the capability of Berkshire to produce fruits of almost 

 every kind, and in great perfection, we have for years been 

 Batisficd. We often hear the remark, " we cannot raise peaches 

 in this climate, it is too cold ; " and yet we have seen, during 

 the present autumn, full evidence of the folly of tliis idea, in 

 almost every town in the county. From Adams to Sheffield, 

 the trees are loaded with the choicest varieties. The late, 

 hard kinds, which nothing but a snow-storm could soften, and 

 which, we were once assured by an owner, were raised ex- 

 pressly for the wool, seem to have disappeared, and it is found 

 that the Melocoton, Crawford's Early and Late, Morris Whites, 

 Stockton's Seedling, and other choice A^arieties, can be raised ib 

 the greatest perfection. 



The pear is also fast becoming a standard fruit. The doc- 

 trine, that the tree must be left to a slow and stinted growth, 

 to insure its life, is exploded. The superb pears, so large and 

 fine as almost to deny their parentage and name, are produced 

 by high culture, deep digging, and heavy manuring. This, we 

 were assured by more than one very successful culturist at the 

 heart of our Commonwealth, only the last week, was the secret 

 of success ; and by it, some foreign varieties which are in high 

 repute at home, but had been called almost worthless in this 

 country, have recently been brought out in all their ancient 

 glory. 



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