10 AVORCESTER COUNTY nORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1867. 



yet entirely untried among us. It costs no more to raise the Decatur, the 

 Marigold, the Melon, the Kelsey, Dodge's Crimson, the Golden Ball and the 

 Progress, than it does to raise the Big Gal Sweet, or the Stone Wall Sour, or 

 the Mudpuddle Pippin, or a hundred other nameless varieties, or worthless 

 varieties with absurd names. In the good old cider days, long gone by, these 

 blots upon fair cultivation, were consigned unregretted and unwept to their 

 only appropriate place, the'' hopper ; but now, each and all are dignified with 

 sounding appellations, and sent, year after year, to the Exhibition, with no 

 other object than to swell the number of the Exhibition plates, and make a 

 large count in varieties. Actually, there are but few sweet Apples that are 

 worth cultivation at all, and when a farmer or horticulturist has four or five 

 of the best of these, he has all he can cultivate with credit or profit. If any 

 one has really a good Apple, which has not been named, let him send it to the 

 Society, at its prime for trial, and if it receives commendation, then let him 

 name it, or request the Society to do so ; and ever after hold it true to that 

 name. This may seem to some to be a needless trouble ; but we tell them that 

 the community have learned to buy Apples by name. If you do not believe it, 

 come in and try to sell a load of your nameless sweets or sours, beside the 

 Greenings, and Baldwins, and Spitzenbergs of our market ; and you will soon be 

 convinced of it. I venture to say, that the Apple, called by our Society, the 

 Worcester Spy, has by this means become so well known, that it will always 

 command a ready sale and a good price ; because, beyond its good looks and 

 fine quality, its keeping properties, its productiveness, hardiness, time of ripe- 

 ning, growth and general fairness, have been reported upon and made public, 

 and whoever buys it, knows exactly what he is buying, and fears imposition no 

 more than if he was buying Baldwins or Porters. If, then, any cultivator 

 wishes to extend the number of his varieties, let himi extend it in the right 

 direction, and not by a multiplication of this farrago of trash. Again, your 

 Committee notice, that exhibitors are prone to display, worthless or uncreditable 

 specimens of really good varieties. This is cot right or proper, and if advice 

 comes with any authority from your Committee, we advise you henceforth to 

 leave them out. They injure the general aspect and character of your collec- 

 tion ; they are a libel on your taste and judgment, and worse than both, they 

 throw discredit upon the Exhibition, and greatly embarrass the Committee. 

 All varieties cannot be equally perfect every year, and if your Baldwins which 

 you think should stand at the head of your list, are small, knobbed, pale and 

 tasteless, you had better leave them out, and make a perfect exhibition with 

 one or more less varieties. Committees are rarely deceived, either by worth- 

 less varieties, or poor specimens. Apples grow scraggy and deteriorated, as the 

 human race does, from wet feet, cold habitation, and scanty food. Give them 

 a dry, warm soil, good culture and encouragement, and they will improve, as 

 children will who are removed from wet, and filth, and want, to decent, sunny 

 apartments, warm clothing and proper food. Wet feet, particularly, both in 

 the tree and in the child, must be avoided, or you have no health or growth. 

 This means, underdrain cold and wet soils before you venture to plant them 



