16 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1887. 



A summary of the returns of the Fruit-crops in Great Britain^ 

 compiled as late as August 20tli ult"., may be of interest to you 

 as disclosing the probable condition of what should be your own 

 prospective market : — 



" Complaints of the drought are general, as we have for several 

 weeks had an unusually high temperature, with little, if any, 

 rain. Apples are bearing well, but the fruits are dropping, 



and owing to the lack of moisture they are undersized. 



* * * * * * • 



" Pears are in a similar condition to the apples, the fruits 

 small, and in some cases the crop is below the average. Louise 

 Bonne de Jersey is one of the best, and other good varieties are 

 Easter Beurre, Fondante d' Automne, Beurre Diel, Williams' 

 Bon Chretien, and Marie Louise. 



" Plums are carrying heavy crops in some districts, and, of 

 course, especially where water has been given freely. This 

 season the Victoria variety is yielding abundantly where previ- 

 ously good crops of Plums have been scarce. Morello Cherries 

 are reported satisfactory, and also the dessert varieties, but 

 Apricots and Peaches vary in productiveness this season, the 

 drought seriously interfering with the development of the fruit, 

 except where especial attention has been afforded by watering, 

 mulching, &c. 



" The Strawberry season has generally been very short, though 

 there was an excellent promise, the plants flowering freely ; but 

 the fierce heat burnt up the fruit in many places, and rendered 

 the flavor of those that were left insipid and poor." 



Et sic uhique. Always and everywhere a complaint of Drought, 

 the soil of England withholding increase because her skies for a 

 wonder are no longer dripping. And this, while yon were liter- 

 ally drenched, — the downpour at times foreboding another 

 deluge. Take heed, in your action as citizens, that you do not 

 contravene the wisdom of Providence ; nor suffer yourselves to 

 be robbed of opportunities for the sale of your choice fruits in 

 order that merciless greed may dam a stream and turn a mill- 

 wheel ! Live, — but, let live ! 



In another important particular was your good fortune worthy 

 of especial note. The canker-worm, — -our unfailing visitor for 

 years, omitted his annual appearance. Whether the intense cold 

 and excessive snows of the past winter may sufl&ciently account 

 for this exceptional lapse ; or it should rather be attributed to 



