26 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have been adopted in general ciiltivalion ; the former is probably 

 the best of the many seedlings from the Concord. The Cottage, 

 raised l)y Mr. IJiiU, the originator of the Concord, and the Early 

 Victor, a native of Kansas, are desirable early kinds. Tiie Niag- 

 ara ripens with the Concord ; it is a vigorous grower and bears 

 abundantly, and is a valuable white grape. The Hayes grape has 

 been tested by most of the members of the Society ; in quality it 

 is superior to the Niagara. When the Fruit Committee visited 

 Mr. Moore he set before them wine made from this variet}', which 

 experts thought the best wine they had ever tasted from a native 

 grape. The Prentiss, which is said to be a cross between the 

 native and foreign, is of fine quality ; but has not fulfilled the hopes 

 entertained of its vigor and productiveness. We shall have to 

 look to pure natives for these points, which we may hope to com- 

 bine with the best quality. Rogers's Hybrids, to the number of 

 forty or fifty, were introduced under the most favorable conditions, 

 but during the last season, although it was a remarkably favorable 

 one for grapes, only thirteen dishes were shown at our exhibitions. 



In plums, owing to the destruction of trees by the black 

 wart and of fruit b}' the curculio, almost all the varieties may be 

 said to be new. The Green Gage is unequalled in qualit\', but 

 there are many better growers. The Jeffersou, McLaughlin, 

 AVashington, Bradshaw, and Niagara are among the best. 



In strawberries a change is brought about more quickly than in 

 any other fruit, and we have seen more new varieties ; meanwhile 

 some old kinds have deteriorated and gone out of cultivation. Kinds 

 that did well ten or fifteen years ago have become almost obsolete. 

 The cultivation of the Ilovey was continued until it ceased to pro- 

 duce good crops, and the same was the case with the Brighton 

 I'ine. The Triomphc de Gaud has not been shown here for three 

 years. Among the newer kinds which have become established as 

 excellent market berries are the Charles Downing, Miner's Prolific, 

 Shaipless,and Cumberland. The Wilson and C'rescent are exceed- 

 ingly productive, but of inferior qualit}'. With amateurs the Her- 

 vey Davis, Wilder, and La Constante are favorites for their fine 

 quality. Among the newer kinds not yet fully proved, but which 

 l)romise well, are the Bidwell, Manchester, Belmont, and Jewell. 

 Some have complained that the Bidwell does not carry out its fruit, 

 but perhaps higher cultivation will obviate this. The Manchester 

 is very prolific and of good size. The Belmont has been grown 



