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EDITOK'S TABLE. 4S3 



TiTE Massachusetts Horticultural Society. — In your August number of the Horticulturist you 

 pass some strictures upon the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, -which appearances do most 

 certainly justify. It is proper, however, to state that the committee upon the subject of 

 " scraping and washing trees" was appointed upon the suggestion of its chairman ; that he was 

 by courtesy allowed to print his report ; that it had been laid upon the table by the society, 

 and will itself require a very essential amount of " scraping and washing" before it will be 

 adopted. 



In regard to the report of the committee upon the award of prizes to Messrs. Hovey & Co., 

 for the Boston Pear and Seedling Cherry, it is also proper to say, that it is regarded by disin- 

 terested men as entirely growing out of bitter personal hostility and self-interest. It is affirmed 

 in a written protest by members of the fruit committee, who are the only proper judges, that 

 after a trial of these fruits for five successive years, they fully merit the awards given them. 

 They also deny the statements in the report. It is untrue that the resolutions were " discussed 

 for more than two hours." There was no discussion about it. In the absence of most of the 

 fruit committee, and the friends of justice, Mr. IIovey begged, for perhaps two hours, that he 

 might have a week's time to bring forward facts and defend himself and the fruit committee. 

 If the malicious act by which he was crushed down, and subsequent debate cut off by a motion 

 to reconsider, can be called "an interesting argument," we fear for the logic and the heart of 

 the reporter. 



A committee, composed of gentlemen of high standing, has recently been appointed to recon- 

 sider the whole siibject, and no doubt it will be found that the pubhc have not been iinpcsed 

 upon, either by the society or its fruit committee. Public exposure of private quarrels is worse 

 than useless ; yet, one side having been given, it is but just to state that the conclusions are 

 denied, and that the subject is by no means settled. One of the Fruit Committee, Boston, Mass. 



The remark Avliich our correspondent refers to as a stricture upon the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society, was based upon the published report of a committee, "which we sup- 

 posed to bo authentic, as it was published in the proceedings of the Society, and signed by 

 Messrs. Wm. S. King and Sam'l Walker. We publish this letter from " One of the Fruit 

 Committee" with pleasure, because we know him to be a man of integrity and honor, and 

 because we are anxious to put a better face ui)on the matter on behalf of the Society and 

 its most important committee. "Whatever may be the real origin of this unfortunate aftair, 

 it is greatly to be regretted ; but we hope to see it thoroughly cleared up. It would bo a 

 great pity if personal hostilities should be permitted to bring such a noble institution, the 

 only one in the country possessed of ample means for doing good, into disgrace before the 

 world, by an impeachment of the integrity of its most prominent members and committees. 

 We regret to see it stated that the contributions to the very useful weekly exhibitions have 

 fallen off greatly on account, as it is assumed, of this misunderstanding. 



I HAVE been much surprised, and I must say disappointed, on reading several articles or no- 

 tijes in the August number of the Horticulturist, on the subject of the award by the Massachu- 

 setts Horticultural Society, to the Boston Pear, and Hovcy's Seedling Cherry. A long time 

 (nearly a year) has now elapsed since the award of the Committee was made public, and the 

 superiority of these fruits established, so far as the action of one of our oldest and best esteem- 

 ed Societies could give them character. Closely following this report comes Hovey & Co.'s ad- 

 vertisements, r.nl from "Maine to Georgia," those who know but what they read are urged and 

 induced to buy "the new fruits which Hovey & Co. have the pleasure of offering to amateur 

 cultivators and the trade generally." Of course, coming with such vouchers, what could we 

 poor people do, but buy? And now, when the stock has become stale, and unsaleable at extrav- 

 agant prices, con-es the report of another Committee, to inform us that Mr. Hovey obtained his 



