FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN 1873. 389 



The crop of pears was unprecedentedly abundant 

 and of excellent quality ; and the exhibitions of this 

 fruit corresponded in character, yet they presented few 

 points proper to be noticed here. Remarkably well 

 kept Beurre d'Anjous of the crop of 1872 were shown 

 by Gardner Brewer on the 15th of March. The exhi- 

 bitions of fall and winter pears in October and Novem- 

 ber were unusually extensive and excellent : at the 

 latter the Beurre d'Anjous of J. H. Fenno, and the 

 Winter Nelis of John L. Bird, were the finest ever seen 

 of their kinds. The number of new varieties exhibited 

 was less than usual. The seedlings from the Messrs. 

 Clapp, B. S. Fox of California, and others, were again 

 shown. 



The exhibitions of native grapes were fully up to the 

 average. A large number of seedlings were brought to 

 the attention of the committee, from J. H. Ricketts of 

 Newburgh, N.Y., S. J. Parker of Ithaca, N.Y., E. W. 

 Bull, John B. Moore, N. B. White, George Haskell, 

 and John Fisk Allen. The show of forced grapes was 

 better than usual. 



The Vegetable Committee reported that, owing to the 

 dull and cloudy weather early in the season, the contri- 

 butions of forced vegetables were much smaller than on 

 previous occasions ; but some choice specimens were 

 exhibited. The shows in May and June were unfavora- 

 bly affected by the severe drought which prevailed at 

 that time. Very interesting exhibitions of peas, com- 

 prising many new varieties, were made through July, by 

 G. A. Law. The William I. was regarded as one of the 

 best varieties. The Canada Victor and Arlington toma- 

 toes were shown for the first time. George W. Pierce 

 exhibited a new variety of the egg plant, a cross 

 between the Black Pekin and a large purple kind. 



