88 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fine dish of this fruit, though not in quantity to receive the pre- 

 mium which their quality deserved. They were tested by the 

 Committee and found to be of delicious quality, giving hopes 

 that this fruit may yet be more plentiful in our gardens. 



Peaches have been shown more abundantly than for several 

 years past, especially at the Annual Exhibition. The specimens 

 were remarkably large and handsome, but owing probably to tho 

 great quantity of rain, the flavor was in most instances not as 

 good as usual. Mr. C. S. Holbrook exhibited fine specimens of 

 forced peaches on the 8th of June, and again at the Rose Show. 

 The specimens of Reine des Vergers, from Mr. IlunneweH's 

 Orchard-house, on the 7th of September, were beautiful beyond 

 all praise. Very Cme Hale's Early, of open culture, were shown 

 b}' Mr. J. B. Moore on the 24th of August. The specimens of 

 Prince of Wales peach, sent to the Annual Exhibition b}' Mr. J. 

 H. Ricketts, of Newburgh, N. Y., did not produce a favorable 

 impression, having probably been taken from the tree while too 

 unripe, as specimens received later were much larger and of finer 

 quality. 



Nectarines, as well as peaches and apricots, having escaped 

 injury from the winter, several dishes, some of which were very 

 handsome, were shown at the Annual Exhibition. The Committee 

 believe that the advice given to renew the attempt to cultivate the 

 nectarine and apricot has been justified by the crop the present 

 season. 



Plums, also, have been much more abundant than in former 

 years. Besides interesting exhibitions at other times, Mr. Joseph 

 Clark, gardener to Mrs. T. W. Ward, exhibited September 7th a 

 collection of fifteen finely grown varieties, for which a Silver 

 Medal was awarded. The best of those tested by the Committee 

 was the Columbia. Mr. Clark has protected his plums from the 

 curculio by syringing with whitewash, but made much thinner than 

 usual, and allowed to stand a day or two before using. The trees 

 have also lieen freely dusted with air-slacked lime early in the 

 morning while wot with dew, with good elfect, and when the insects 

 were very numerous they have been shaken on to sheets and 

 crushed. Very fine specimens of that old favorite, the Green Gage, 

 the best of all plums, were shown August 31 by E. S. Rand, Jr., 

 and a beautiful collection of plums was placed on the table at the 

 Annual Exhibition by Mr. John C. Gray, from his Orchard-house. 



