38 Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 



or Damascus, with large berries and very handsome ; it was a very good 

 grape, though not of very first quality, and on account of its size, beauty, 

 and goodness worthy of cultivation. It was new to the Committee. 



Messrs. Hovey «Si Co. exhibited on June 14th, and subsequently, a very 

 fine and beautiful grape called Gros Bleu, that strongly resembled in ap- 

 pearance Wilmot's No. 16, but that is said to be a distinct variety. 



Bromham Hall and Beechwood melons, both of superior flavor and quality, 

 but probably not suited to out-door culture, have been exhibited the past 

 season. For general out-door cultivation the seedling melon of Capt. 

 Lovett, called the " Christiana," raised by him from a green Malta melon, 

 impregnated with a very early variety, it is believed has not yet been 

 equalled. In order to mark their appreciation of its merits and as their 

 recommendation of it to growers of this fruit, the Society have awarded 

 Capt. L. a piece of plate of the value of $50. 



No new raspberry, blackberry, currant, or gooseberry, especially worthy 

 of notice, hns been exhibited the past year. The blackberry known as the 

 cultivated High Bush blackberry, was the past season remarknble for size 

 and beauty, and is thought to be well worthy of cultivation ; and that these, 

 with the Knevet's Giant raspberry as well as the Franconia, and perhaps 

 Fastolf raspberry, are worthy of a place in every garden. 



August 9th, Mr. Amos W. Stetson presented to your Committee a box of 

 very early plums, that for one ripening so early may be pronounced of very 

 fine quality. Mr. Stetson stated that this plum was a seedling raised by John 

 Trask, of Lynn ; it was a small oblong purple plum of good flavor, a free- 

 stone. Aug. 16, the Myrobalan, a small round red plum, of pretty good 

 quality, resembling in appearance the Golden Cherry, was exhibited by Dr. 

 Eben. Wight. Although the past season was very prolific in plums, and 

 these too produced in great perfection, but few opportunities have been 

 afE)rded of testing any new varieties of either foreign or native origin. 



This last remark is, however, in no ways applicable to pears, of which 

 fruit many new varieties, fruited for the first or second time, have this year 

 been exhibited. Among those of native origin, may be mentioned a pear 

 from D. Marcellus Wheeler, said to be a seedling from the St. Michael, 

 resembling that variety in size, color and form, that was a juicy fruit of 

 pleasant flavor, and seemed to be of good promise ; also the Muskingum, 

 from G. Greene, of Norwich, Ct., a high flavored, juicy, melting pear, 

 of medium size, roundish form and yellow color, — both exhibited August 

 30. On October 4, Mr. John Hill exhibited a seedling pear, small, of yel- 

 low color, with a red cheek, and some russet both at stem and calyx, that 

 was handsome and sweet ; it has been sometimes known as the Burrill 

 pear. The Collins or Watertown pear is a seedling pear, raised by Mr. 

 Collins, of Watertown, many years since, and has been now repeatedly 

 tested by your Committee. It is in size above a medium, of a roundish 

 obovate form, with a short thick stem ; when ripe, of a yellowish color, 

 blotched and striped with red in the sun, with a little russet about the 

 stem ; the flesh is white, melting, juicy, a little subacid, of very pleasant 

 flavor I its season is early in October, This pear is believed to be well 



