82 ANNUAL REPORT 



that noble plant, the maize (more modern name, corn), which 

 not only saved their lives, but in all succeeding generations has 

 been a prime factor of their sustenance and of their prosperity. 

 The native fruits they found the year following were the grape, 

 white and black; strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blue- 

 berries, huckleberries, barberries, cranberries, crab apples, 

 plums, nuts and a profusion of roses; but the apple, the pear 

 and the peach were not indigenous to this country, and a civil- 

 ized hand had not stretched across the wide Atlantic to sow 

 their seeds. 



"On the tenth of October, J 639, the first pomological exhibi- 

 tion in the United States was held in the city of Boston, the fruit 

 being brought from Governor's island in the harbor, there being 

 not one apple or pear tree planted in the whole country but 

 upon that island. It was here, five years after the landing of 

 the Pilgrims that the first free school was established, which to- 

 gether with the church still lives." 



These reminiscences are wonderful reminders of the march of 

 progress that has been wrought in these two hundred and forty- 

 nine years in this fair land, where but a little while ago the gov- 

 ernor of the Bay State said: "In 1822 we were utterly destitute 

 of nurseries in New England for fruit trees on an extensive scale; 

 we have no cultivators on whom we can call for a supply of the 

 most common plants of the smaller fruits, such as strawberries, 

 gooseberries and raspberries of the superior kinds; we have no 

 place to which we can go for plants to ornament our grounds; 

 we have not a single salesman who can furnish us with fresh an- 

 nual seeds on which we can depend and place reliance." He 

 added, "Shall it be said that from June to September a traveler 

 may traverse in Massachusetts from Boston to Albany, and not 

 be able to procure a plate of fruit except wild strawberries, 

 blackberries and huckleberries, unless from the hospitality of 

 some private gentleman." 



OUR STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The relative relation and attitude of this Society towards all 

 other similar organizations in our state, is a question of great 

 importance at this time for your wise consideration. Our inter- 

 est and solicitude in the welfare and prosperity of all kindred 

 horticultural organizations, furnishes us good grounds for seek - 

 ing more friendly relations and intercourse with all societies of 



