REPORT OF THE VEGETABLE COMMITTEE, 1874. 407 



dix of the plant, the eatable portion of which is of fine 

 texture, and very rich, juicy, and fragrant, with a flavor 

 ^omewhat like that of the pineapple and banana com- 

 bined. 



The Vegetable Committee reported, on the whole, a 

 successful season in their department. The number of 

 contributors increased, from fifty the previous year, to 

 seventy-five. The committee again expressed their re- 

 gret, that, though small but excellent displays of choice 

 vegetables from the hotbed and forcing house were 

 occasionally made, they were so few and far between. 

 The first exhibition was on the 17th of January, when 

 James Comley presented a dish of very fine mushrooms, 

 specimens of which he continued to exhibit until the 

 last of April. He also showed from time to time forced 

 specimens of rhubarb, remarkable for size, color, and 

 beauty. January 24 C. M. Atkinson showed fine speci- 

 mens of Brussels sprouts. O. C. Gibbs exhibited the 

 earliest cucumbers on the 1st of February. The show 

 of vegetables at the opening exhibition was a very fine 

 one, and the same may be said of that at the straw- 

 berry show. A prominent and interesting feature at 

 the annual exhibition was the collection of new potatoes 

 originated by C. G. Pringle of Charlotte, Vt., among 

 which were the Snowflake and Alpha ; and a similar 

 collection from E. S. Brownell of Essex Junction, Vt., 

 comprising the Eureka, Brownell's Beauty, and Early 

 Nonsuch. The varieties named were entered for the 

 Whitcomb prize. Samuel Wheeler also exhibited a 

 new cross bred potato, between the Early Rose and 

 White Chenango. C. G. Pringle presented the Con- 

 queror tomato, obtained by crossing the Keyes with 

 pollen of the General Grant. The Triumph sweet 



