FRUIT committee's REPORT. 9 



to protect it from disease. For all small gardens ■we would advise the 

 planting of dwarf Apples, at least of the early varieties, for family- 

 use, until the winter kinds can be purchased in quantity at low rates. 



The first Exhibition of Apples was on the 8th of August, at which 

 time there was a good display of the early standard kinds, the Harvest, 

 River, Astrachan and Williams. From this time, throughout the season, 

 and esi)ecially at the Annual Exhibition,- the display was extensive and 

 excellent in quality. Williams was first for summer, Gravenstein was 

 first for fall, and Northern Spy was first for winter. The excellence in 

 quality, and the superior si^ecimens of the Spy overcame its low point 

 of unproductiveness and other undesirable habits for general culture. 

 Specimens of Grimes' Golden Pippen were exhibited December oth, 

 which were of fine appearance, and the quality was very agreeable. 

 "\V^e regard it as promising. 



The Grape. — All will agree that the season has been extremely 

 unpropitious for this crop. Still we have had a fair exhibition of this 

 fruit on our tables, and many fields have yielded a moderate return, 

 from the more hardy varieties. Some marked instances of success have 

 been noticed. Messrs. Davis & Bates, and also Mr. S. G. Damon, 

 have exhibited fine collections, including the more tender and diflicult 

 varieties, illustrating the advantage of close fences for protection. The 

 Grape does not flourish with that spontaneity that we notice on the 

 shores of Lake Erie, or the Ohio River. We do not propose to compete, 

 when we receive Grapes from tlie West which are sold at the rate of 

 $100 to .$160 per ton, as has been the case in the Boston market this fall. 

 iN'either is there any occasion. Our fruit is generally in better condition 

 for retailing; it comes to the market before the heavy glut from the 

 West comes on, and the lowest price, the past autumn, has been .S12 per 

 100 Ujs. at wholesale, for Concords of fair quality. This result has been 

 attained when the season has been precisely the reverse, at the West, 

 and unusually favorable for the Grape. We may say again, in view of 

 these facts, there is no reason for discouragement. There is need of care 

 and judgment, but we do not admit less confidence than in former years. 

 With varieties we must exercise extreme caution. 



On the 11th of September the first Grapes were exhibited, Daniel 

 Clark showing a very fine dish of Concords, as before noticed. Their 

 early maturity was undoubtedly owing to the radiated heat of the rocks 

 over which they were trained. Gen. George H. Gordon of Framingham 

 exhibited, on this day, very fine clusters of ripe Grapes, calling for a 

 name. They resembled the Hartford, but were very superior, if, in 

 reality, they were Ilartfords. The majority of your Committee do not 

 entertain a doubt that the Framingham, so called, is identical with the 

 Hartford, or else a seedling, so closely resembling its parent in quality 

 and habits as to be undeserving a separate name. The exhibition of 



