60 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Pekin Black Egg Plaxt. — Introduced by Messrs. Hovey & Co., 

 the past season, is a native of China. It is veiy distinct in its cliaracter. 

 Fruit very large, round, of a purplish black color, weighing from five to 

 seven pounds each, very prolific, and of excellent quality. Plant erect, 

 vigorous, without thorns; leaves, oblong, and of a dark bluish-black 

 color, quite ornamental. Messrs. Ilove}'^ & Co. exhibited fruit of this 

 new Egg Plant at the Annual Exhibition, which attracted considerable 

 attention. 



Large Eussiax Sun Floaver, is a variety recently introduced, 

 grows to a large size. "With good cultivation this variety has been known 

 to produce heads twenty inches in diameter. It is cultivated for its seeds, 

 which are very large, and said to produce a salad oil of superior quality. 



The show of vegetables, at the Annual Exliiliition, Avas in all respects 

 a good one; the tables literally groaned under the weight of the valu- 

 able varieties with which they were covered. There Avere many points 

 of great excellence in this department Avhich were especially deserving 

 mention, and first of all Ave shall notice that feature which particularly 

 called forth the admiration of visitors, the splendid collection of cauli- 

 floAvers, brought out in competition for the Silver Cup. These were 

 shoAvn in great perfection, especially those from James H. Smith, gar- 

 dener to Francis Skinner, Esq., to whom the Cup was awarded for the 

 best three. Mr. Smith made a really fine shoAv, and well deserved the 

 praises and the prizes that Avere aAvarded him so freely. Competition was 

 unusually brisk hoAvever, there being no less than eight entries for the 

 prize, Mr. J. C. Convers foIloAving very closely after Mr. Smith with three 

 splendid specimens, taking the second Cup offered by the Committee. 

 As the Committee propose to offer another Cup at the next Annual Ex- 

 hibition for the same object, Mr. Smith Avill have to look Avell after his 

 laurels. 



Mr. C. W. Gleason, of Holden, Avho makes the cultivation of the po- 

 tato a speciality, contributed seventy -five distinct varieties of this valua- 

 ble esculent, constituting a prominent and very interesting feature of the 

 exhibition. Mr. Gleason has also several ncAV and very promising seed- 

 lings not yet introduced, and among them one from the Early Goodrich, 

 which he considers an acquisition. 



To particularize the productions, hoAvever, Avould consume more time 

 and space than can well be alforded, and Ave must content ourselves, 

 therefore, with adding here, that the contributions from the different 

 competitors were in most instances remarkably fine, and in great variety, 

 and bore ample evidence of good culture and well directed skill in their 

 cultivation. 



