1866.] KEPORT ON APPLES. 



REPORTS. 



KEPORT ON APPLES. 



Samuel H. Colton, Chairman; John C. Ripley, J. Frank Allen, Dr. 

 RuFus Woodward, Thomas R. Norcross, of Worcester ; Newell Wood, of 

 Millhury; and S. A. Knox, of Grafton. 



The Committee appointed to award the Premiums offered on Apples, beg 

 leave to report : 



That the number of contributors this year, and the varieties, including every 

 thing of the Apple kind exhibited, show a sad falling off from former exhibitions 

 — and, to quote from the report made last year, " in quality the contrast between 

 this and preceding years is scarcely less painful." 



It was fondly hoped, that after two or three successive failures in our crop of 

 Apples, we should be favored this year with a better supply — and the very 

 abundant blossom last spring seemed to warrant us in the expectation. But 

 our cherished hopes are again blasted, and we sigh for the by-gone times, when 

 this most important production of our orchards was in plentiful supply at every 

 one's door. And, while we all agree that there is a continued scarcity, we are 

 not united in opinion as to the reason of the failures — and many are the specula- 

 tions and theories advanced in support of fancied causes. Some attributing 

 them to high winds, when the trees are in blossom ; others, to cold weather or 

 heavy rains ; still others, to electricity, and the latest advanced theory is, that 

 the blossom buds were fatally injured by the severe drouth of last year I To 

 all which we have only to reply, Yankee fashion, by inquiring — if the causes 

 named are correct, why it is that some trees, and orchards even, are com- 

 paratively full of fruit, while others near by have none at all. One of your 

 Committee has two trees of the Early Sweet Bough variety, standing within 

 twenty feet of each other, and both alike, as regards age, size, and situation ; 

 one of which produced a fair crop of fruit this season, while its fellow had not 

 an apple on it. 



But, while we do not feel competent to point out the causes, or recommend a 

 remedy, we do not wish to be understood as despairing that we shall never again 

 be blessed with the same bountiful crops as in former years. The fact of the 

 repeated failures will stimulate us all to investigate the causes, and, if in our 



