1874.] REPORT ON APPLES. • 29 



only the same varieties, decision would be sufficiently ditticult; containing 

 as they do to a large extent different varieties it is impossible. Another 

 vice of the system illustrated in all large collections is that fruit wholly 

 without merit is included merely to eke out numbers. 



The aggregate of premiums offered this year for apples was one hundred 

 and eighty-seven dollars of which one hundred and twenty-five dollars 

 was for collections and sixty-two dollars for single plates. Instead of the 

 existing system we second the Secretary's recommendation of direct com. 

 petition between specimens of the same variety, with a graded premium 

 for each. The Society's former offers for. single plates were objectionable 

 in that but a single premium was offered for one variety. Thus, " For 

 the best ten Baldwins $2.00." For this one premium there might be or 

 rather there were some fifteen or twenty entries, and several so excellent 

 as to make decision doubtful. The sixty-two dollars offered for single 

 plates was divided into thirty-one premiums of two dollars each for thirty- 

 one varieties adjudged by the Trustees mrst worthy of encouragement. 

 Now, if we could have awarded the aggregate amount offered for apples 

 in graded premiums of three, two and one dollars for the best, second 

 best and third best of each of the thirty-one varieties, we believe we 

 could have satisfied competitors, the Society and the public, as well as 

 ourselves far better than we have done. 



Some dissatisfaction was expressed on account of our action in relation 

 to apples incorrectly named. The rules adopted by the Trustees required 

 that all articles offered for premiums should be correctly named, and 

 made Downing's Fruits the standard of authority. Under these rules we 

 were obliged to exclude several collections. Some of the excluded apples 

 were of decided merit, and would undoubtedly have received premiums, 

 but for misnomer. With a view to equitable relief from the rigor of a rule 

 of which many competitors pleaded ignorance, we awarded an unusual 

 number of gratuities. 



It will be remembered that oar report for 1873 contained some sugges- 

 tions in reply to a criticism of the Gardener's Monthly upon our report 

 for 1872. Attempting in the former report to account for frequent failuie 

 of the apple crop, we assigned, as probable cause, alternation of cold 

 with warm periods in spring, whereby apple bloom prematurely forced, 

 afterwards was made abortive by late frost. The Grardener challenged 

 this view on the ground that the sap of trees could not freeze. Of the 

 completeness of our refutation, in our last Report, of the Gardener's pet 

 theory on this subject, we have received many testimonials. Among 

 others, the following from the President of the Mas.sachusetts Agricultu- 

 ral College: — 



