THE BEST NEW ENGLAND FRUITS. 29 



and the Brighton for red. The Brighton has foreign blood in it 

 and is a specially good grape. 



Perhaps no fruit pi'oduces a greater quantity in the space required 

 than does the strawberry, and it is profitable in a larger area if the 

 home market is catered to. The local trade should be supplied 

 by home growers instead of having to depend on shipments from 

 the city commission merchants. 



The INIarshall is the noblest berry we have ever had; it is of good 

 form and color and of large size. It is claimed that it is not as 

 productive as some other kinds, but this is owing to its being grown 

 too thick; the matted leaves preventing the ripening of the fruit. 

 The Clyde is not to be compared with the Marshall in quality. 

 Other good varieties are the Brandywine, Bubach, Sample, and 

 Minute jNIan. The Minute Man is one of the more recently intro- 

 duced varieties and is a handsome berry, of medium size, bright 

 colored and attractive. 



In currants the two best kinds are the Versaillaise and Fay's. 



Blackberries and raspberries are too uncertain to grow in market 

 quantities and we cannot compete with the growers further south. 

 The Dorchester and Kittatinny prove satisfactory for domestic 

 use and for commercial purposes. 



James, H. Bowditch called attention to the work of Luther 

 Burba nk in California and to his very successful efforts in the 

 hybridization and improvement of various kinds of fruit. 



John L. Bird spoke highly of the Comice pear which he considered 

 the best pear in his orchard and will keep until January. He said 

 the Comice and the Josephine are two extra quality pears. 



Mr. Wood remarked that the Comice is not productive enough 

 to be admitted into his list. 



Lysander S. Richards called attention to the Sheldon pear which 

 he said was showing signs of degeneration from some cause which 

 he could not understand, and that it cracked badly with him. He 

 endorsed what had been said of the Marshall strawberry and that 

 it was without doubt the best variety in the market. Seven-eighths 

 of the berries shipped out of Scituate were Marshalls. 



Edward B. Wilder said that the reason of the raspberry crop 

 being so uncertain was that the canes were not protected in the 



