268 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the Rose and Strawberry Show. Jane 26th. The prizes were 

 taken with Advancer and American Wond^. by Samael Hartwell 

 and Cephas H. Brackett respectively. Considerable complaint 

 has been made the past two or three seasons by growers of the 

 American Wonder, with regard to the parity of seed sold for that 

 variety, it having been badly mixed. It is hoped that oar seeds- 

 men will exercise the greatest care in growing their stock of this 

 ralaable pea. and if possible not allow it to degenerate or become 

 mixed. It is not only a great disappointment to the grower 

 to find his vines of this variety ranning ap three feet, when, if 

 trae. they should be less than one. bat it caases him to lose con- 

 fidence in his seedsman as well. In no other branch of agriculture 

 are pare, sound, reliable seeds of more importance than to the 

 market gardener, for more than half the success of his crop depends 

 upon the quality of the seed he uses. Should they fail to 

 germinate, a loss of a ojuple of weeks might be fatal to his entire 

 crop, for unless placed upon the market at the proper time, the 

 product would be comparatively worthless. If they do not prove 

 true to the variety, he is again subject to loss, for an unpopular 

 variety meets with very poor sale. Hence the very great import- 

 ance of the market gardener's procuring his seed from none but the 

 most reliable sources. It is his best policy to grow his own when 

 possible. 



Although the season has seemed unfavorable to many species of 

 vegetables, particularly the more tender varieties, to t)thers it has 

 appeared propitious. Tomatoes, sweet com, beans, and mam' 

 other sorts, though later in making their appearance than usual, 

 were shown abundantly, and were generally of excellent quality. 

 The show of potatoes the past sea.son has been remarkably fine, 

 not only at the Annual Exhibition, but through the season. The 

 varieties standing highest in point of quality and productiveness 

 have been the Hebron, Clark, and Rose. Of the newer varieties, 

 Lee's Favorite and Charles Downing are very promising, of 

 excellent quality, and yield well. Both these varieties come from 

 the West where they are very popular. The report of the Ohio 

 Experiment Station for 1885 shows that of 92 varieties tested, 

 Lee's Favorite yielded at the rate of 423 bushels per acre, being 60 

 bushels per acre more marketable tubers than any other early 

 potato, and 12 bushels more than any late variety. Clark yielded 

 at the rate of 363 bushels per acre. Hebron 287. Charles Downing 



