REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FRUITS. 97 



Foreign Grapes. — We regret very much not being able to re- 

 port sucli bunches of Black Hamburg and other varieties at our ex- 

 hibitions, as have been shown in England. We have read of bunches 

 weighing twenty-five pounds or more, and here, for the last two years 

 we have offered a premium for the largest bunch, not less than five 

 pounds in weight, and have not had an opportunity to award it. 

 At the Annual Exhibition, the display was as good as the average of 

 the last few years. C. M. Atkinson had in his collection, some very 

 fine bunches. E. H. Luke also had a fine collection of forced 

 varieties, and his fruit was well ripened, and the bunches were very 

 handsome but not large. E. W. Wood, and B. G. Smith's col- 

 lections contained some very fine fruit. E. W. Wood received the 

 special premium offered by Peter Smith, for the largest and hand- 

 somest bunch of black grapes, for Black Hamburg, and for the 

 largest and handsomest white grape, for Golden Hamburg. 



Oranges, etc. — January 29th, superior oranges were exhibited 

 by E. R. Chadwick, of San Mateo, Putnam _ County, Florida. 

 This fruit was raised on trees of seven years' growth, which came 

 into bearing the sixth year. The yield of two hundred and fifty 

 trees, the sixth year, was twenty-three barrels ; the seventh year, 

 one hundi-ed and fifteen barrels. The weight of twelve oranges 

 was six and a half pounds. March 4th, CM. Atkinson exhibited 

 oranges and lemons. March 25th, John Cummings showed very 

 good specimens of bananas, well ripened, and of good flavor. 

 This is the first fruit ever shown, by any member of this Society, 

 that was grown in this State. CD. Kingman exhibited oranges on 

 the same day. June 3d, J. Fisk Allen showed a very handsome 

 dish of oranges, part of which were grown on a tree that has been 

 in bearing forty years. 



By invitation of Joseph H. Fenno, the Committee visited his 

 grounds twice during the season. On the first visit, June 14th, 

 his orchard was found in good order, everything about it being 

 neat and well cared for ; the fruit was well set, the trees were all 

 health}' and in fine condition. One particular feature was, his 

 keeping the trees weU headed in. The orchard contains about 

 three acres ; the trees are set in rows, thirty feet apart, and fifteen 

 feet in the rows. Mr. Fenno has a heav}' clay sub-soil, well luider- 

 drained. He said he never used any manure or fertilizer, excepting 

 beach sand ; and thought that by this method he got less growth of 

 wood, and more and better fruit. Your Committee could hardly 

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