52 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1875. 



an assiduous, liberal, and persistent culture of the Kaspberry. Their au- 

 thor has striven, — with what success you have been enabled to judge for 

 yourselves, — to enforce precept by example. His suggestions upon this 

 or other Horticultural matters, are made without reference to what, in 

 current phrase, may " suit the market." He leaves it for the supple 

 demagogue to " crook the pregnant hinges of the knee that thrift may 

 follow fawning." Those who like can adapt their wares to their custom- 

 ers: supplying shoddy when wanted; furnishing the Wilson Strawberry 

 to those who know nothing better; or, when " they ask for bread, giving 

 a stone." But the Worcester County Horticultural Society, by accepting 

 its charter, engaged to " advance the science and encourage and improve 

 the practice of Horticulture." It fails to do so when it recommends the 

 cultivation of a species of fruit merely because it will sell ! When we 

 cease to advise, everywhere and at all times, the cultivation of the best — 

 because it is the best — our mission is ended ; our charter should be re- 

 linquished ; we should cease cumbering the ground. The members of 

 the Society are once more urged to set out stools of the Ruhus Idaeus ; 

 among the finer varieties of which your Secretary, from personal experi- 

 ence, would recommend the Franconia (if it can be obtained pure, as it 

 has noi been exhibited for 3'ears upon our tables), the Northumberland 

 Fillbasket and Brinckle's Orange. Let the "market" glut itself with 

 Thimbleberries, if it knows no better and will not be taught. 



A gratifying feature of our Summer Exhibition — the unprecedented 

 display of Currants — was noteworthy, as showing that line upon line and 

 precept upon precept are not always wasted. Depressed and dismayed by 

 the swift and destructive invasion of the Ahrazis grossulariata; with 

 their bushes almost exterminated before they had learned how to apply a 

 remedy, or knew of one to apply, Pomologists had given up the hope of 

 ever again enjoying this most certain, prolific, and beautiful of all Sum- 

 mer fruits. But renewed hope came with the knowledge that White 

 Hellebore is fatal to this insect-pest. So that, withm the last few years, 

 the Currant has been rapidly resuming its proper position in our gardens 

 and upon the tables of the Society. Not only in quality, but in the num- 

 ber of varieties shown by different contributors, did the Exhibition of 

 1875 merit attention. Still, while the true Pomologist will ever be ready, 

 and even anxious to " prove all things ; " in " holding fast to that which 

 is good " he cannot go amiss if he sticks to the old Red Dutch or the 

 newer La Versaillaise. 



But one or two lots of Blackberries were entered upon the books of the 

 Secretary. To those who have land enough it would appear that the 



