120 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



we get rid of the pulp. That is no longer a problem. I have 

 done it. I have grapes -without a particle of pulp and of great 

 delicacy of flavor which ripen in August, but I have not a late 

 grape which does not have some pulp ; and this year, which was 

 cold and wet, the Concord had more pulp than I ever saw before. 

 The pulp melts away, in other words, in those climates where 

 the season is long enough to ripen it to perfection, and where 

 nature is no longer put to the expedient of surrounding the 

 seed with it to accomplish her purpose of reproduction. Now, 

 if that be true, we have only to get at the right stock ; and 

 beginning with the earliest and best specinjens possible, follow 

 reproduction from that until we get a grape that will ripen in 

 August. I think the prospect is full of encouragement. Man 

 . passes away, but plants remain ; and when we have all passed 

 away from this stage and this time, when so many are in doubt 

 whether vineyards can yet be planted here to profit, our descend- 

 ants will see this Massachusetts planted with vineyards, furnish- 

 ing grapes of excellent quality and an abundance of wholesome 

 wine. 



Mr. BiRNiE. I see several gentlemen who can talk to us very 

 sensibly on the subject of apples and pears. Some of us would 

 like to hear something on that subject. 



The Chairman. The subject is open. I think the members 

 of the Board would like to hear from Mr. Clement. 



Asa Clement, of Dracut. I do not know that I can say any- 

 thing that will be interesting to any one. It was intimated to 

 me that something might be expected from me, and I set myself 

 at work thinking over the matter, to see if there was any branch 

 of the subject, pertaining more particularly to apples, which I 

 had not touched upon during the last three years, in some of 

 the meetings of the Board. I could scarcely think of anything ; 

 and then, my experience during the last year has not been very 

 encouraging. My apple crop has been the poorest I have had 

 for several years. I had no new varieties which came into 

 bearing, although I had grafted many, which I was hoping to 

 introduce to the notice of the Board and others ; but my hopes 

 were blasted. Consequently, I have no new varieties to remark 

 upon, nor have I tried any experiments during the last year 

 which could throw any light upon the question of the cultiva- 



