30 WASSACHUSBTTS HOUTKirLTlTliAL SOCIETY. 



Several otl)cr seedlings were exliiWited by Mr. Moore, some of them 

 possessing excellent characteristics ; but it is not thought best to 

 give a particular description of them at present. All of Mr. 

 Moore's seedlings were from the President Wilder, which he has 

 found far superior to any other as a " breeder." The Committee 

 have awarded to him the society's silver medal tor his labors in 

 originating these promising seedling stiawbcrries. JMr. W. J. Un- 

 derwood's seedling was again exhibited, but was thought not quite 

 as good as in ])revious years. 



At the Strawberry Show on the 20lh an«l lilst of June, the silvt'r 

 cup for the best four quarts of any variety was again taken l>y 

 the President Wilder, grown by the originator. The previous 

 year, the Jucunda was the rival ol' the Wilder: the last season it 

 would have been hard pressed by a superb basket of La Cunstante, 

 pi-esented by IMessrs. Ilovey and Co., had the latter been received 

 in season for comj)etition. The Committee were glad to be spared 

 the difficult task of balancing the superiority of tiie La Constantes 

 against the better adaptedness of the Wilder to general cultiva- 

 tion ; though, had they done so, they believe the result would not 

 have been changed. Yet on the 1st of July the prize for the best 

 fifty berries was awarded to Mr. J. C. Park for La Constante ; and, 

 on the 8lh, the prize for the best two cpiarts to the same gentle- 

 man for the same variety, in spite of the great drawback of its ill 

 success under any but the highest culture, and conse(pient want 

 of adaptation to general cultivation. The great danger, the cer- 

 tainty, indeed, in a large majority of cases, of di.sa|)pointment to 

 cultivators who may be induced by the tine specimens shown to 

 jilant varieties of this class, not only of strawberries, but of other 

 fruits, has led the Conimittee to consider the expediency of so 

 amending the Twelfth Rule as to make adaptation to gem-ral culti- 

 vation an indispensable requisite to the gaining of a priMuiunj. 

 Perhaps it would be better to accom]>aiiy tiie awaid with a state- 

 ment of the grounds on which it was niatle, and a warning against 

 planting too largely. In this w:iy superior skill might be rewarded, 

 and tlu; public, at the same titne protected. 



The prize for the best collection of new varieties was taken by 

 Mr. Moore, with llaciuin, Merrick's Seedling, Leon de St. Laumer, 

 Premier, and liijou, — varieties all jwssessing excellent character- 

 istics, but not yet exhibiting such superior (piality as to supplant 

 older favorites, or entitle them to be recommended for general 

 cultivation. The Committee regret that Mr. Moore had no com- 

 petitor for the prize for new varieties, as it is believed that we are 



