NEW FRUITS AND PLANTS IN 1866. 349 



ever made by the Society, a very marked improvement 

 being visible in the selection and quality of the various 

 kinds. The attendance of visitors was very large, and, 

 for the first time for many years, the exhibition gave a 

 reasonable surplus into the treasury. 



The winter of 1865-66 was very severe ; but the suc- 

 ceeding summer was w T arm, with abundant rains very 

 favorable for the growth of plants, but not for the ripen- 

 ing of fruits. Vegetables nourished wonderfully, and 

 such fruits as the strawberry, which require an abundant 

 supply of water, were benefited, though the crop of this 

 fruit was less than it would have been but for the 

 drought of the previous year. There were no out- door 

 peaches, and the season was unfavorable for native 

 grapes. Very few apples were shown, this also being 

 attributed to the drought of the two preceding years. 

 The pears shown for prizes were not as large or as fair 

 as in some previous years. 



That fine strawberry now known as the President 

 Wilder was shown for the first time. Hovey's Seedling 

 and Jenny Lind continued to be favorites. There were 

 but two contributors of raspberries, both of whom 

 showed Knevett's Giant; and five contributors of cur- 

 rants, who exhibited three varieties, La Versaillaise, 

 Dana's Transparent, and Red Dutch. 



The number of new plants exhibited was much great- 

 er than in 1865. April 4, George W. Pratt presented 

 Clerodendron Thomsons, which was highly praised by 

 the committee. James McTear showed the now popu- 

 lar Deutzia crenata flore pleno, for the first time ; and 

 Hovey Co., the variegated Japan maize. At the 

 opening exhibition on the 23d of May, Francis Park- 

 man exhibited Aquilegia glandulosa ; and C. J. Power, 



