REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FRUITS. Ill 



backward in the spring, which affected our weekly exhibitions un- 

 favorably. The schedule of prizes having been made to suit 

 average seasons, many of our early shows were not as good as they 

 would have been, if the premiums for some of the fruits had been 

 a week or two later. The exhibitions during the season, have, 

 however, been very satisfactory, and, we think, up to the average of 

 previous years. We notice there has been quite an improvement 

 the past season in the quality of fruits on exhibition, which is very 

 much to the credit of the exhibitors, and, we think, a very great 

 satisfaction to the visitors who honor our exhibitions with their 

 presence. We would call the attention of the exhibitors to the 

 schedule of prizes for 1876 ; it will be noticed that the fruit prizes 

 have been almost entirely changed, and, as we hope, for the better. 

 Most of the collections have been dropped, and premiums offered 

 for single dishes in their stead, which, it is believed, will be a 

 great improvement on the old plan. We would also call attention 

 to the amendment of our By-Laws, offering our premiums to all 

 persons, whether members of the Society or not, which we hope 

 will have the desired effect to greatly improve our exhibitions. 



Stravtberries. — The exhibitions of forced strawberries were 

 not as good as last year, there having been only two baskets ex- 

 hibited during the season, one March 20th, by George Cruick- 

 shanks, gardener to John C. Whitin, of Whitinsville, and the other, 

 April 3d, by Richard Oldreive. June 5th, Charles Garfield ex- 

 hibited a basket of strawberries raised in frames under glass, and 

 he also exhibited two baskets on the 12th of June, one of Triomphe 

 de Gand, and one of Agriculturist, both of them very fine. June 

 19th, Marshall P. Wilder exhibited a fine basket of President 

 Wilder, and J. H. Woodford an extra fine basket of the same 

 variety, both started in franies under glass. It may be inferred 

 from these remarkably fine specimens of the President Wilder 

 that it is well adapted to this manner of cultivation. John B. 

 Moore, also had four baskets of fine Jenny Lind, of open culture. 

 At the Rose Show, June 28th (postponed from June 17th), John 

 B. Moore was awarded the first prize for early strawberries, for his 

 seedling, Grace, and Warren Heustis the second prize, for Colonel 

 Cheney. At the Strawberry Show, July 2d, we have to report one 

 of the largest and best displays of strawberries ever made by this 

 Society. There were upon the tables one hundred and sixteen 

 baskets and dishes of fruit, all of them gopd, and some of them 



