246 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 



The Sharpless was most abundant, but the Belmont and Jewell are 

 of more recent introduction and were sufficient in quantity, wlien 

 exhibited from so many different sources, to show that they were 

 becoming generally adopted for cultivation and had come to stay. 

 The above named varieties are all of large size and fair quality 

 and ripen in succession, the Jewell first and the Belmont last. 

 They sell most readily in the market and bring the highest prices. 

 An earlier variety equalling these in size and quality would 

 extend the season and be a valuable acquisition. The May King 

 wa.s shown for the first time ; it is of medium size, light color, and 

 good quality, and desirable for the amateur, while its early ripen- 

 ing may make it also valuable for market. As proving the 

 tendency of growers of the Strawberry toward size rather than 

 quality, the record shows that, of the La Constante, Wilder, Hervej^ 

 Davis, and Jucunda — all on our prize list and of the highest 

 quality — but a single dish was presented. 



The weekly exhibits from July 1. to September 8, with the 

 exception of Cherries and Raspberries, have been above the 

 average. The want of a hard\' variety of the Raspberry limits its 

 cultivation in this vicinity. July 28, C. E, Grant showed the 

 Lucretia dewberry (a trailing blackberry). The fruit was of fair 

 size, well colored, and of good quality. It would seem to be 

 earlier than the varieties generally grown, as it was shown in fair 

 condition two weeks earlier than any other variet}'. At the same 

 exhibition two bunches of grapes received from A. F. Rice, 

 Griswoldsville, Georgia, named Superb, were shown; they were 

 small in size both of bunch and berry but of very good quality. 

 The show of early apples and pears was unusually large and of 

 good quality. 



At the Annual- Exhibition the display of fruit was much above 

 the average. This was especiall}- true of apples and pears. Of the 

 one hundred and sixty-eight prizes offered for these two fruits, one 

 hundred and sixty-five were awarded. The fruit was fair and 

 smooth, but not as large as it has been in some years when the 

 crop was not so abundant. Of peaches, while the list was not full, 

 some were shown of every variety for which prizes were offered. 

 As proving that the killing of the peach buds is not entirely 

 dependent upon extreme cold, we have the fact that the past year 

 there have been more or less peaches grown throughout the State, 



