TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 57 



past transactions of the Society, but a vivid picture of the future, — just 

 such a picture as a heart filled with the love of nature and the cultivation 

 of the soil would portraji^, — pointing us to the blessings which unborn gen- 

 erations will receive from our exertions, and to that peaceful " Mount Au- 

 burn," which, be it forever remembered, was founded by this Society, as 

 the place of repose, when we, and future generations shall have been, one 

 after another, called away from our labors and are at rest. 



We trust we shall be pardoned for the digression respecting our new 

 Hall, and will only add, that it gives us pleasure to state that the exhibi- 

 tion was well attended, and that the public mind is alive to the interest of 

 horticultural pursuits. 



We shall now proceed to give our report of fruits, flowers and veg- 

 etables : — • 



FRUITS. 



The specimens of fruits presented were not only numerous, but many of 

 them very superior, — superior when compared with our best specimens of 

 former years, and probably as fine as may be produced for some years to 

 come. The number of new varieties was considerable, but as the leading 

 cultivators have imported all the varieties of pears of any note in Europe, 

 we shall not, for the future, look so much for nerv varieties as for Jine spec- 

 imens of all the best sorts now under cultivation. 



The cultivators of pears were all on tiptoe to see and learn something of 

 the "lion of the day," the "Van Mons Leon le Clerc" pear. Wears 

 right glad to be able to state, that the President of the Society, M. P. 

 Wilder, Esq., presented a specimen of this new variety, and that, by his 

 politeness, the coinmittee were permitted to cut up and taste his only spec- 

 imen, which was in size first rate ; form, obtuse pyriform ; color, dark 

 green ; skin, very thin ; flesh, very tender ; juice, cool, rich and high fla- 

 vored. But notwithstanding we say all this, it must be remembered that 

 the specimen was wormy and prematurely ripe, — its time of ripening in 

 Europe being November and December. 



In addition to the above, Mr. Wilder presented one hundred and two va- 

 rieties of Pears, with several sorts of Apples and Plums. In this collec- 

 tion we noticed beautiful specimens of the Columbian, Urbaniste, Duchesse 

 d'Angouleme, Beurre Ranee, Louise Bonne de Jeri^ey, Easter Beurre, Ha- 

 con's Incomparable, Long Green, Beurre Diel, and Fondante d'Automne 

 Pears. The specimens of the last named and the Comprette, we consider 

 as of high flavor, and among the very best of pears. The collection of 

 Mr. Wilder received the Society's first premium for the greatest number of 

 kinds and the best grown. 



In the collection of the Hon. Elijah Vose, Ex-President of the Society, 

 we noticed some very splendid Apples ; indeed, his collection of Apples 



