6 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1898. 



Of Apples there has been but about a third of the usual crop 

 for the bearing year, and the quality has not been as good as 

 usual. Our Exhibitions have been large, and many fine speci- 

 mens have been shown. Of Baldwins alone there were forty 

 exhibitors. 



While this is not the bearing year for Pears, of some varie- 

 ties, we have been surprised and pleased at the showing made. 

 Of Sheldons alone there were 41 plates exhibited, and some of 

 enormous size. One of our members, Mr. Arthur J. Marble, 

 showed a Sheldon which weighed 17^ ozs., while Hon. George 

 K. Nichols, of Grafton, sent in a Sheldon pear which weighed 

 23^ ozs. There were 27 exhibitors of Bosc pears, and they 

 were as fine as we have ever had. There was a good showing 

 of other varieties, and the number of those competing was larger ' 

 than ever before. 



On the 13th day of October, the Worcester Agricultural 

 Society, to preserve their rights to State Bounty, and to keep 

 good the privileges granted by their charter, united with this 

 Society in an exhibition. The display of'fruits, flowers and 

 vegetables was the largest ever shown in our Hall, and were as 

 fine as were ever shown in this section. The display of hot-house 

 grapes and ornamental plants, from the greenhouses of Mr. G. 

 Marston Whitin, of Whitinsville, were exceedingly fine, and 

 added no little to the success of the exhibition. It was rather 

 late in the season for an exhibit of Mushrooms, but Miss Mary 

 E. Atherton showed 86 varieties, and our judge in that depart- 

 ment pronounced it a very creditable exhibition, particularly for 

 so late in the season. The interest in this field, which is practi- 

 cally new with us, is increasing, and at nine of our exhibitions 

 during the season they were shown, even when not on our sched- 

 ule or any premium offered. At this exhibition a dinner was 

 served, at which nearly 150 persons sat down. It seemed a 

 very popular feature of the show, and I would recommend that 

 in future this Society consolidate their October exhibitions, hav- 

 ing but one that month, keeping it open from 10 A. M. to 9 

 P. M., and having a dinner served, as was done this year. 



I am of opinion that such a course would add to the interest, 



