262 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Nov. 



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brinr^s us samples of Buckeye wine, the bottles will 

 not be quite so large. 



Of apples tliere was, as usual, an immense display. 

 Winter varieties were of course green and unattrac- 

 tive, but, for tiie season of tlie year, they were fine 

 far beyond our expectations. N. Hayvvard, of 

 Brighton, had forty varieties — pretty good for a far- 

 mer ; John J. Thomas, of Macedon, a fine collection 

 of sixty-three varieties ; Col. Hooge, of Buflalo, 

 thirty-nine varieties ; W. T. k, E. Smith, of Geneva, 

 thirty-six varietes ; David Hamilton, of Clay, On- 

 ondaga Co., thirty-two varieties ; Bissell k. Hook- 

 er, twenty-three varieties ; H. Hookkr, twenty-tliiee 

 varieties ; James H. Watts, a superb dish of Sp;/ 

 from Mendon — the premium dish ; Ellwangrr k, 

 Barry, eighty-six varieties ; Chas. Powis of Greece, 

 Jon.N Do-NNBLLAN, Messrs. Ryan fc Co., and many 

 others, choice collections. Among all these, we no- 

 ted nothing remarkable in the way of new varieties. 

 The Gravcnstein, Porler, Pomme Royal, St. Law- 

 rence, Draj) cfOr, Hctwlcy, Maiden's Blush, Haiv- 

 thorden, and Duchess of Rosenhurg, were the prin- 

 cipal varieties in eating condition, and the first was, 

 in our opinion, the best apple in the tent. 



In the floral department, Dalilias were the leading 

 feature. Immense quantities were shown, but feu- 

 were really good. The dry, hot weather for a week 

 or two before the Fair, had a disastrous influence 

 on them. The same cause operated against Roses 

 and consequently few were seen. Verbenas were 

 abundant. Mr. "Wm. Webb, of Bufflxlo, had a very 

 choice collection and nicely shown in moss. Miss 

 Laura J. Whitney and Mrs. Geo. J. Whitney ex- 

 hibited a large collection in a very tasteful manner. 

 Ei.LWANGER Si Barry had a fine collection of Phloxes 

 and some la'-ge specimens of Salvia Splendens Major, 

 one of the most brilliant autumnal flowering plants. 

 Its long feathery spikes of bright scarlet flowers 

 attracted every eye, whilst a multitude of rare and 

 less showy things wholly escaped notice. So it is 

 in tiie world after, as well as at, the Fair. 



Vegetable Departmmt. — This occupied a circular 

 tent in rear of Floral Hall, with a passage between. 

 The display here was better than we have ever seen 

 it before. Mr. Robert Donnel-^an, of Greece, su- 

 perintended the arrangement. Mr. John Gray, of 

 Chili, had on his table tomatoes that weighed upwards 

 of 13 lbs. each. Squashes grown since 13th of .Tuly 

 that measured 6 ft. 7 in. by 6 ft. 6 in. (^uinlol Cab- 

 bages that weighed 30 lbs. Fine green nutmeg 

 melons, white carrots, and ash-leaved kidney pota- 

 toes. Mr. Gray had the latter in market on the 19 :h 

 of June. Mr. JohnDonnellan made iiis usual rich 

 display. — Ten great squashes, enough to load a wag- 

 gon ; five varieties of onions, beautiful samples ; 

 (Quintal and Green Savoy cabbage ; summer and 

 winter squashes ; water melons ; and a great collec- 

 tion of fine gardun productions. Theouork Backus 

 a fine collection, among which we noticed some fine 

 curled parsley — a fine, neglected v''ing. C. F. 

 Crossm.vn, li. MuLHOLLAND, N. Hayw rd, general 

 collections of well grown things. James Buciian, 

 Esq., by iiis gardener, immense squashes and cabba- 

 ges, besides fine carrots, beets and potatoes. Mr. 

 Isaac J. Collins, of Gates, made an interesting dis- 

 play of sixteen varieties of potatoes ; and good 

 samples of sweet potatoes were shown by R. S. Ste- 

 vens, of Attica. Alfred Hale, of Lyons, "wild 

 Mexican potatoes," a fine looking, long, white sort. 

 Fine samples of Lima Beans were shown by J. D. 



Colt, of Irondequoit, Messrs. J. W. Sfavard and 

 M. G. Warner, of Rochester. We are glad to see 

 this richest of all beans receiving some attention. — 

 Mr. Seward has been the first to encourage their 

 culture here. A novel and very interesting contri- 

 bution was made by Messrs. Charlwood &. Cum- 

 MiNGS, of London, of 144 different varieties of Field 

 and Garden Seeds, all the samples of the finest qual- 

 ity. They were examined by both farmers and gar- 

 deners with much interest, and at the close of the 

 exhibition were sent to the Society's Museum, at 

 Albany. A silver medal was very justly awarded 

 them. 



We would, if space permitted us, be glad to make 

 a more minute notice of the various articles presented 

 in all the departments, but we are compelled to pass 

 by many things well worthy of notice and perhaps 

 more so than some we have mentioned. 



We would, also, be glad, if circumstances permit- 

 ted, to speak of committees and their reports, but thig 

 we shall do at another time. The subject has an 

 important bearing on the influence which these great 

 annual displays may or may not have in improving 

 the system of cultivation and fixing attention on mer- 

 itorious objects. 



GATHERING- SUMMER AND AUTUMN PEARS. 



We have good reasons for believing that but a small 

 portion of those who cultivate pears know when to 

 gather them. The general practice is to allow them 

 to remain on the tree until, by a change of color, they 

 show undoubted signs of ripening. This would 

 strike most people as being, naturally, very proper. 

 Why, it is asked, pick pears green, more than any 

 other fru.it ? We are not able, at this time, to give 

 a satisfactory explanation of the fact, but a fact it is, 

 that when summer or autumn fruits are allowed to 

 remain on the tree till the ripening process has com- 

 menced, tliey loose their fine flavor and become either 

 pasty, mealy, or insipid, and worthless. We know 

 of few exceptions to this, although some ripen better 

 on the tree than others. It would appear that while 

 the fruit remains in connection with the tree, its jui- 

 ces and delicate perfumes that constitute what we 

 call flavor, pass off into the atmosphere and back into 

 tlie tree, or that the maturation of the seed, which is 

 the grand object of the fruit, exhausted all its finer 

 properties, but that when the fruit is taken from the 

 tree as soon as its growth is completed, the juices 

 and perfumes instead of being evaporated into the at- 

 mosphere, diluted with watery juice, returned into 

 the tree, or appropriated by the ripening seeds, is 

 concentrated in the pulp or flesh, and by maturing 

 there, bring out the full perfection of the fruit. When 

 a fruit has attained its growth, all the subsequent 

 changes that it undergoes, in attaining what is termed 

 ripeness, are of a chemical nature, and it certainly 

 appears that this chemical process is much better 

 performed in the fruit room than on the tree in the 

 open air. This much, at least, we have learned by 

 experience. But it is asked, "if pears must be pick- 

 ed before ripe, and even before they exhibit symptoms 

 of ripening in their complexion, how are we to know 

 exactly when to pick V This is a most diflicult point 

 indeed to the inexperienced cultivator, and one on 

 which it is exceedingly difficult, nay impossible, to 

 lay down long niles that would admit of general ap- 

 plication. 



Seasons vary in one locality from aweek to a fort- 



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