94 MASSACHUSETTS HOUTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



form, red, and of fine quality. Tlic luibit of the bush spreading, 

 like Ilou^liton. 



Raspberries. — The prizes have been taken by the Franconia, 

 Clarke, and Northumberland Fillbasket. No new varieties have 

 been shown, and the crop was cut short by the dry weather. 



Blackberries. — The prizes have been taken by Wilson, Dor- 

 chester, and Kittatinny. The Wilson, though not generally' equal 

 in quality to the Dorchester, is, when perfectly ripened, sprightly 

 and good ; and the specimens exhibited by Messrs. Clapp were of 

 such remarkable size, fine qualit}'', and so well ripened, as to com- 

 mand the first prize. Still, we should continue to recommend the 

 Dorchester as most desirable for general cultivation. Like all the 

 small fruits, the blackberry crop suffered from the drought. 



Apricots and Nectarines are hardly worth mentioning, except 

 for the purpose of comparison with past and future seasons. Two 

 dishes of nectarines were shown at the annual exhibition, but not a 

 single apricot has been placed on our tables. 



Plums have been but little better than the last-named fruits, and 

 far inferior to the fine crop of 1872. But a small part of the 

 prizes have been awarded, and such as were, to specimens barely 

 deserving them. 



Figs have not been quite so abundant, nor so good as in most 

 years. 



Peaches. — The exhibition of forced and orchard-house peaches 

 have improved ; fine displa3-s of the former having been made by 

 C. S. IIoll)rook, and of the latter by C. D. Kingman. The crop of 

 out-door fruit has been scant}', which was undoubtedly owing to the 

 destruction of the fruit buds by the winter. The only specimens 

 exhibited August 23d, were mostl}'^ unsound and unripe and flavor- 

 less ; and, so far as ripe, their ripeness was evidently premature, 

 and owing to disease ; and consequently neither of the three prizes 

 was awarded. Hale's Early, from J. B. Moore, on the 30th of 

 August were fine specimens, fully deserving the first prize, which 

 they received. Nothing, however, was shown worthy of the other 

 three prizes. At the annual exhibition, only the third and fourth 

 prizes for collections were awarded ; none of the specimens exhib- 

 ited being, in the judgment of the committee, worthy of the first 

 and second prizes. We have noted nothing new in regard to 

 varieties. 



Apples, — The crop of apples has been generally inferior both 



