FRUIT CULTURE. 165 



would often save the fruit from unnecessary bruises — not to 

 mention the loss of time, and perhaps of temper, on the part of 

 the exhibitor. 



E. H. Warren, for Committee. 



Apples. — Class No. 2. — Owing to the large number of con- 

 tributors to this department, and the fine quality of nearly all 

 the specimens, your committee found some difficulty in deter- 

 mining who should have the six premiums at their disposal. 

 But we were constrained to agree upon something, perhaps for 

 a similar reason that jurors agree when compelled to bring in a 

 verdict on an exceedingly "knotty" case — we did not wish to 

 stay " over night." That we did not afford a high degree of 

 satisfaction to the unsuccessful competitors does not surprise 

 us ; for, the truth is, there were so many dishes " about neck 

 and neck," equally deserving, it was hard to agree upon a 

 verdict. One point we very readily agreed upon, viz. : that 

 apples must be plenty in Middlesex County. 



Anotlier question the committee at once decided — that, 

 inasmuch as the premiums were offered for the best specimens, 

 and not for the largest, as some contributors imagined, we were 

 in duty bound to consider other points and qualifications besides 

 size. In order to make it plain to all, let a case be stated by 

 way of illustration : A presents a single dish of Gloria Mundi 

 apples, and another of New York Russets, all of enormous 

 size. B brings forward one plate each of the Baldwin and 

 Hubbardston, large, clear, and in all respects fine, though not a 

 specimen among them is so large as the smallest of the others. 

 For obvious reasons, we should decide to give premiums to the 

 Baldwin and Hubbardston. Again, the Alexander is a very 

 large and showy apple; so also is the Black Detroit — some- 

 times, at least; but they are scarcely worth propagating. On 

 the table they would make a grand show, especially by the side 

 of a dish of Hunt Russets or Mother apple, but if premiums 

 were to be awarded, the latter would draw them, provided they 

 were good specimens. That would be the opinion of this com- 

 mittee ; others, of course, would act as their judgment and 

 knowledge of the fruit should dictate. 



I desire to notice, briefly, a few varieties which have not been 

 extensively tested in this county, nor are they very generally 



