18G7.] REPORT ON APPLES. 



REPORTS. 



REPORT ON APPLES. 



Dr/Rufus Woodward, Chairman; John C. Ripley, J. Frank At.len, 

 Stephen S. Foster, Thomas R. Norcrcss, and S. A. Kxox, of Worcester ; 

 JosiAH L. Woodward, of Millbury. 



The Committee on Apples having attended to the duty assigned them, 

 respectfully beg leave to report : 



First, that the show in this department of the Annual Exhibition is creditable, 

 considering the exceeding unfavorableness of the season, and the almost utter 

 failure of the crop for the two or three seasons past. A wet and cold summer 

 has proved this year as unfavorable, as a hot and dry one formerly did for the 

 growth and perfection of the Apple. And, although the selected specimens 

 on your tables are, for the most part, fair in size, perfection and color, the 

 general character of the crop, is poor in size, imperfect fin form, and sadly 

 deficient in flavor. This, for the most part, is not, your Committee think, from 

 any lack of good cultivation and care, for the specimens presented by some- of 

 our best and most careful cultivators, average badly, and are creditable only 

 as showing a desire on the part of these gentlemen to help on the Exhibition, 

 by faithfully bringing in what they have, even if it happen to be, from a bad 

 season, greatly below what they desired, and what they usually are able to 

 furnish. 



Your Committee notice with regret, that not one single new variety of acknowl- 

 edged excfeUeuce has been presented to their observation this year. This is 

 not as it should be, in a community where fruit culture takes such a high 

 stand. It is not to our credit, that year after year, the same old varieties are 

 presented upon ^our tables, and that we go out of this eternal round, only to 

 find that the vast hodge podge of nameless, and generally worthless varieties 

 only, has increased, while fruits which have received the unqualified commen- 

 dation of competent committees, at our best pomological conventions, are as 



