46 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Pineapples. — Those are from the West Indies, and though a 

 few come in at irregular periods, the majority of the fruit is 

 received from the 1st of May until the 1st of September, their 

 greatest abundance usually being in July. 



Plums can only be raised successfully in certain localities, the 

 curculio being their greatest enemy. They formerly began to 

 arrive from South Carolina June 20, and from Virginia early 

 in July. Very few plums are raised in Delaware and New Jer- 

 sey; but along the Hudson river they flourish well, and are usually 

 on sale abundantly during September, and extend into October. 



Qm'nces are a late ripening fruit, not good before maturity. 

 They are on sale during Octoljcr and the first half of November — 

 sometimes later. We seldom receive them from south of New 

 Jersey. 



Raspberries follow strawberries, and are seldom received 

 beyond New Jersey, as they are difficult to transport. The mar- 

 ket begins to be supplied the 1st of July, sometimes in June, and 

 they are nearly over in three weeks. The bulk of the fruit comes 

 from along the Hudson river, where the Antwerp berry is chiefly 

 cultivated. Wild and also cultivated berries come in quite freely 

 from New Jersey. 



Rhuharh, though not fruit, bears so much resemblance to it 

 in its uses, that we include it here. It is the earliest /n«V in mar- 

 ket, and is welcomed as a change from dried fruits. The con- 

 sumption, mainly for pies and dumplings, is immense. The little 

 grown in cellars, hot-beds and forcing houses is seldom thrown 

 into market, the earliest appearance for general sale being 

 about the first of April, and though a little is oflTered all through 

 the summer up to September, it is not plenty or much called for 

 after the 1st of June. It is only raised for this market in New 

 Jersey, on Long Island, and the near-by portions of the State. 



Strawberries. — Next to peaches, these are the people's fruit, on 

 which all classes feast for at least a month. Being rather tender 

 of transportation, we do not get them south of Virginia. The 

 first chest sent from there the present season was from the noted 

 groM'cr, Mr. W. I. Bishop, of Portsmouth, received here May 6. 

 About the middle of the month Baltimore berries begin to arrive, 

 followed by those from Philadelphia about the 20th, and South 

 Jersey fruit is on sale at the same time, but the market is scantily 

 supplied until about the 10th of the month,, from which time np 

 to the 25th they are usually abundant, a.nd often continue up to 



