1867.] REPORT ON APPLES.! ^ G/? > _ "V>' ' 



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to orchards, stir the soil, remove the moisture, let iiWh^fhir and tW's^^ith-'of 

 heaven, or you might as well plant your orchards on tQ^rai^ao£ the seafeki^, , 

 and expect them to flourish and bear fruit. ^*****»«.ij '^- _^^'^ 



Bear also this in mind, that all varieties do not flourish equaTty'wetrtpon 

 the same soil ; and if, under the best care you can give them, your Russetts 

 are not as large and fair as your neighbors, don't fret, perhaps your Baldwins or 

 Tallman Sweetings are better than his. Mr. Pell, of the Belham Farm, upon 

 the North River, ascertained that his soil was peculiarly adapted to the growth 

 of the Newtown Pippin ; but did not suit some other favorite varieties ; acting 

 upon this knowledge, he extended the culture of this one variety, until his 

 annual product could be counted by thousands of barrels, and his income by 

 corresponding tens of thousands of dollars. In the spring of 1858, I, myself, 

 saw Pelham Farm Apples selling readily in Liverpool Market for fifteen dollars 

 a barrel. 



But you may say how are all these new varieties to' be obtained. I answer, 

 by exchange with your friends, by purchase from good reliable nurseries ; 

 and hope I may add, by direct action of this Society. This Society has, o'^ 

 should have, for its object, the general advancement of Horticulture. It should 

 include in its scope the general interest of all its members. It does but half 

 its duty, if it rests contented with a few weekly and one yearly Exhibition. It 

 should actively, not passively, advance Horticulture. It should collect and dis- 

 tribute plants, and trees, and seeds, and scions. Do you doubt that invoices 

 of jtrees, ordered by the Society, would sell at remunerative prices ? Look at the 

 piles of worthless, uni-eliable trash, which our citizens purchase every year 

 from irresponsible agents. Do you doubt that our members would set scions 

 of new varieties, or find room to try new seeds or plants ? The eagerness with 

 which they buy everything that is offered, answer the doubt. No, the com- 

 munity, and our members especially, are ready to take hold, whenever the 

 Society shall see fit to give them anything to take hold of. I rejoice in this 

 opportunity to give the Society a ^lykick. It has gone to sleep in its own Horti- 

 cultural Hall ; it needs to be aroused and set agoing again. We want lectures, 

 we want public talks ; we want trees, and plants, and scions, and seeds, and 

 books, and papers ; and more than all, we want life and energy. 



The Committee would also call the attention of exhibitors to the necessity of 

 complying with the Regulations more closely, in regard to the number of speci- 

 mens of each variety presented. Twelve is the number for the larger premi- 

 ums, and eight for the smaller. The Committee think it a pity that some 

 really fine collections on the tables, should be debarred from competition, by 

 this small neglect. When a premium is ofl'ered for twelve specimens, it cannot 

 be given to eight ; and when for eight, it cannot be for six, and of this the mem- 

 bers should be fully aware before they place their specimens in the Hall. 



Many exhibitors are, no doubt, disappointed that the Committee are not able 

 to name valuable specimens presented to them for a name. Many of these are 

 seedlings, and can be named just as well by the cultivator as by the Committee ; 

 others are from scions sent by friends from abroad, and though the variety may 



