86 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Strong agreed with the President that for general purposes 

 it is better to have roses on their own roots, but for the florist 

 would have some kinds on Manetti or other stock of vigorous 

 growth. Tlie roots will absorb more water and endure more varia- 

 tions. 



President Gra^' said that in his previous remarks he referred only 

 to out-door roses. 



Mr. Strong, as Chairman of the Committee on Publication and 

 Discussion, announced that Part II of the Transactions of the 

 Society for 1877 was ready, and could be had on application to the 

 Secretary, and that on the next Saturday the subject for discussion 

 would be the Culture of Small Fruits. 



MEETING FOR DISCUSSION. 



Saturday, March 16, 1878. 



A meeting for Discussion was holden at 11 o'clock, W. C. Strong, 

 Chairman of the Committee on Publication and Discussion, in the 

 chair. 



The subject assigned, the Culture of Small Fruits, was opened 

 by A. D. Capen, who spoke particularly of the strawberry, and re- 

 marked on the necessity of constant care and watchfulness on the- 

 ])art of those who attempted the cultivation of this fruit, and on the 

 importance of novices' learning all the}^ could from the experience 

 of others. Mr. Capen spoke of the great difference in the results' 

 with the same variety in different locations, and instanced the north 

 and south sides of Charles River. He could not do anything with 

 the Hovey's Seedhng, but succeeded with the Charles Downing. 

 His o-veat difficulty had been in feeding his plants ; he had got too 

 much foliage. The Charles Downing was in season for a long time 

 with him, beginning to ripen earlier and continuing later than most 

 kinds. He had had this variety with leaf stems fifteen inches long, 

 and the fruit stems from ten to fourteen inches long, and stand- 

 ino- more thickly than he had ever seen elsewhere. The crop was 

 found to be from six to seven thousand quarts per acre. 



