FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 407 



winter my milch cows are kept for the most of the time in the 

 barn — often, in very cold weather, for two weeks together. 



The cost of keeping, at the present high price of hay and 

 grain, may, I think, be put down at about $2.25 per week, from 

 November to June, and the rest of the year at fifty cents ; 

 making the whole cost for the year about $75 per head. 



As such a difference of opinion prevails as to the average 

 yield of milk from a stock of cows, I have ventured to present 

 somewhat at length the particulars herewith submitted, and if 

 in the opinion of the committee they are considered of any 

 importance, they may be disposed of in such way as is judged 

 best. 



Dorchester, September 21, 18.53. 



FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 



ESSEX. 



Report of the Committee. 



In the exhibition of to-day we were reminded of the great 

 advance which has been made in this useful department, since 

 the show in South Danvers in 1835 or '36, where one of your 

 committee exhibited native pears from Maine. This was about 

 the commencement of a regular systematic arrangement of 

 fruits at our annual shows. The exhibition at this time, not- 

 withstanding the rain of Tuesday, and the short crop of apples 

 in our county, was much better than we could have anticipated. 

 Pears, grapes, and peaches, were, as usual, good. As regards 

 the last named fruit, it is remarkable that the crop of early 

 peaches exceeded that of the apple, a circumstance which will 

 not probably occur again for years at least. There were sixty- 

 five entries of fruit, from the following places, viz. : Lawrence, 

 thirteen ; Andover, nine ; Haverhill, nine ; Methuen, fourteen ; 

 Salem, five; Newburyport, three; Newbury, three; Wenham, 

 two ; Grovcland, Georgetown, Beverly, Marblehead, Middleton, 



