46 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1892. 



ton were proprietors of large nurseries. To John Milton Earle 

 we owe the introduction of many valuable varieties, and among 

 others, that " ne plus ultra " of late fall pears, the Cornice. He ex- 

 perimented also in the production of new varieties of pears, and 

 has left us as a monument of his labors in this direction " Earle's 

 Bergaraot," a pear of delicious flavor which stands to-day on the 

 Society's list of premium pears. Mr. Earle devoted himself with 

 a rare enthusiasm to the work of the Society. He was not only 

 an authority in nomenclature, perhaps the best the Society could 

 boast, but he was thoroughly versed in every department of Hor- 

 ticultural science — in floriculture and botany as well as in pomol- 

 ogy- 

 Mr. Earle and D. Waldo Lincoln were for many years the two 

 leading contributors of pears, and it is interesting to trace in the 

 reports, their rivalship for the largest collection of named 

 varieties. 



In 1849 Mr. Earle exhibited 30 varieties ; Mr. Lincoln, 34. 



1850 " " " 47 " " " 63. 



1851 " " " 31 " " " 53. 



1852 " " " 69 " " " 85. 



1853 " " " 53 " " " 94. 



1854 " " " 59 " " " 79. 



1855 " " " 84 " " " 104. 



1856 " " " 100 " 



Mr. Lincoln being that year Chairman of the Committee on 

 Pears did not apparently compete. 



In 1857 Mr. Earle, 123 ; Mr. Lincoln, 105. And here the 

 contest seems to have practically ended as the ofiicial position of 

 both gentlemen after that date precluded competition. 



And it was about this time that a free discussion began as to 

 the utility of offering premiums for large collections, for the 

 same policy had been pursued in regard to apples and vegetables 

 as well as pears. Collections of 75, 80 and 90 varieties of apples 

 by the same individual were not infrequent. And of vegetables 

 there were collections of 30, 40 and, in one instance, 68 varieties. 

 At one exhibition a member exhibited 150 varieties of potatoes. 

 The natural result of this method was that the contributor of 

 large collections being also a competitor for single plates or small 



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