REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OK VEGETABLES. 115 



Messrs. Washburn & Co., a collection of four varieties of new Giant 

 Italian Onions ; viz., Giant Rocca of Naples, Large Italian Red 

 Tripoli, Early White Naples, and Giant White Tripoli. The spe- 

 cimens of each variety were very fine, and of unusual size, all the 

 bulbs weighing upwards of two pounds each : the largest turned the 

 scale at two pounds, eleven ounces. The Rocca is a fine variety, ol 

 delicate flavor, large globular shape, and light-brown skin. The 

 Early White Naples is a distinct variety, of quick growth and 

 mild flavor; originally selected from the Italian Tripoli Onion for 

 its distinctive qualities of size, earliness, and beautiful silver-skin. 

 The Large Italian Red Tripoli and Giant White are also distinct 

 varieties, of exceedingly mild and fine flavor. Special certificates 

 were awarded to each of these varieties by the Royal Horticultural 

 Society, London, in 1869 and 1870, where a single bulb of the Giant 

 Rocca was shown, weighing three pounds, nine ounces. Some very 

 fine specimens of these onions were also shown by Mr. Guy C. 

 Underwood at the Annual Exhibition, grown by him at the City 

 Institution, Deer Island. Under his superior culture, it is unneces- 

 sary to add that they were noble specimens ; and, being the first 

 exhibition of these varieties here in any quantity, they constituted 

 one of the chief attractions at the Annual Exhibition. The impres- 

 sion produced was favorable : still no definite test of their value for 

 general cultivation has yet been obtained. They will undoubtedly 

 be thoroughly tested the coming season. 



The Annual Exhibition, in September, was a complete success. 

 Taking into account quantity, number of varieties, and quality o? 

 the specimens offered, it was the unanimously-expressed opinion 

 of competent and impartial judges that it surpassed any former 

 exhibition ever made in this department. The number of contrib- 

 utors was forty-nine. 



Mr. N. N. Dyer of Abington contributed two varieties of culti- 

 vated cranberries, representing a crop of three hundred and twenty- 

 five bushels from two and a half acres of ground. The specimens 

 were very large and finely colored, showing plainly the advantages 

 to be gained with this crop, by a thorough system of culture, in the 

 increased size and beauty of the berries. The displays of cauli- 

 flower, celei-y, egg-plant, and melons, at this exhibition, were par- 

 ticularly worthy of mention, and contained many choice specimens, 

 which were much admired. 



The special prize of $30 for the best seedling early potato, after 

 a public trial of three years, was awarded to Albert Bresee of Ver- 

 mont for the " Early Rose," Mr. Bresee exhibited some reniarka 



