48 AKNFAL REPORT 



The Snyder variety is the best kaown in this State, and is pr©- 

 ductive and very good. It may not prove hardy enough for some 

 localities. The Stone's Hardy comes to us recommended as more 

 hardy and equally desirable in every other particular. The low 

 blackberry, Dewberry, (Rulus Canadensis) is indigenous in the 

 eastern part of the State. The fruit is as good, and it ripens a few 

 days earlier than the blackberry, and is one of the native fruits 

 which we should attempt to improve and domesticate. The Con- 

 cord and Deleware, and some other grapes are doing well in this 

 State. The first is pronounced to grow larger, better, and less 

 foxy than in any other part of the country. Our State has thou- 

 sands of good locations for vineyards, and grape-growing may be 

 made a very profitable industry. The fruit stands next in import- 

 ance to the apple. The planting and management is simple and 

 easily learned, and may be made very inexpensive, and much 

 of the labor in their management is light and may be performed 

 by old men, invalids, and women. There is gieat need of an 

 earlier variety than the Concord, and of one that will keep later in 

 the season. This creates an opening for experiment, both with 

 seedlings from the standard varieties grown here and in ameliorat- 

 ing and improving our native species. This subject should occupy 

 at least one session of our meeting, and, as there seems to be no 

 place for it in the program, I would suggest the ofiering of a 

 prize to bring out essaj'^s upon the subject for our next Summer or 

 Winter meeting, also that when we adopt a system of premiums 

 for the originating of new hardy fruits, that we include one for 

 grapes. 



We have growing in various s3ctions of this State fine varieties 

 of the native plum. Some of them are of large size and superior 

 quality, nearly equaling the tame plum (Prunus domestica). 

 I believe it to be susceptible of such improvement as will place it 

 in the front ranks among our fruits, and might, perhaps, be made 

 to take the place of the prune, and perhaps the peach. I have no 

 knowledge of any efforts being made in that direction farther than 

 to remove some of the best from the forests and transfer them to 

 the garden. We want such a man as Ephraim W. Bull, of Con- 

 cord, Mass., who will pursue such a course with them as he has 

 with the native wild grape, giving to the world the Concord grape. 



The apple and the apple tree will occupy its usual space in this 

 meeting, therefore I need not take up your time with them. It is 

 to be hoped that some of the essays competing for the prize may 

 impart information that will give orcharding a new and better 



