FRUIT committee's REPORT. 73 



paid great attention to the cultivation of the apple, and are strongly recom- 

 mended by him as well worthy the notice of growers of this fruit. Speci- 

 mens of the Washington, which excited so much interest at its first exhibi- 

 tion three years since, were also shown by him, and also by Messrs. Hub- 

 bard, Foster and Evers, and the Northern Spy and Bottle Greening from 

 the garden of the late Capt. Lovett. 



PEARS. 



Second in importance only to the apple, to which in its duration by the 

 successive ripening of its varieties, and by the different uses to which it is 

 applicable, it bears some resemblance, the pear has sometimes been consid- 

 ered the fruit of Massachusetts, so much has it absorbed the attention of 

 her cultivators. It is a delicious fruit and worthy of the attention it has re- 

 ceived. The great interest felt has manifested itself especially by causing 

 the introduction into this vicinity of almost all the varieties of the pear, 

 both from distant parts of our own country as well as from Europe, nearly 

 as soon as such were produced or made known, and there are here collec- 

 tions that, for the number of varieties contained therein, are not surpassed 

 by any others, even if they are equalled. The value of these great collec- 

 tions, such as are those of Col. Wilder and the Messrs. Hovey, cannot be 

 over-estimated. The true qualities of many of the varieties and their adap- 

 tation or non-adaptation to cultivation here, can only be ascertained by 

 trial ; hence these great collections become, as it were, a school where the 

 qualifications of the different sorts for this purpose are carefully studied, 

 and whence reliable information respecting them are disseminated and 

 taught. 



The past season has not been propitious to the pear ; its earlier prognos- 

 tics were favorable, but its subsequent course did not tend to their fulfilment ! 

 at least later in the year the injurious effects of some causes became plainly 

 manifested. These untoward effects were exhibited in a diminution of the 

 crop, though this was more striking in some sections of this vicinity than 

 in others, in the country east of Boston more than to the south and west of 

 that city ; in causing many trees to shed their leaves prematurely while 

 their fruit was yet immature ; and in the cracking and blighting of many 

 more varieties than is usual. Yet, notwithstanding these unfavorable cir- 

 cumstances, in very many instances specimens exhibited have never been 

 surpassed in size and beauty, showing an improvement in cultivation, (in 

 this trenching and underdraining are considered essential elements,) and an 

 increase of knowledge that can overcome the evil consequences of an un- 

 toward season. 



It would be a pleasant task to specify these instances of superiority, but 

 to do so would be but to enumerate the contributions of the greater part of 

 the exhibitors, and is therefore omitted So great has been this superiority 

 and so nearly equal in quality has been in many cases the specimens exhib- 

 ited, that in their awards of prizes, especially for autumn and winter pears, 

 the Committee have labored under great embarrassment ; and although no 

 premium was awarded that was not richly merited, yet it may be that, from 



