184 HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN, AND 



and supposed to be only eight years from the seed. In the 

 meantime, it was twice transplanted, and for two years was not 

 well taken care of. Dr. W. referring to the well known fact, 

 that the older varieties of the apple yield fruit earlier from 

 buds or scions than the newer varieties, states that some of the 

 finest specimens exhibited by him, were from scions three and 

 four years old, on stocks from an inch and 1-2 to two inches in 

 diameter when grafted upon. 



As respects other fruit, he has this year gathered the finest 

 plums from trees grafted on wild plum roots three years ago, 

 and has pear seedlings four years old, 4 1-2 inches in circum- 

 ference, which he has no doubt, if grafted, will yield fruit in 

 three or four years. Dr. Walker has also gathered from a sin- 

 gle scion three years old, one bushel and one peck of the red 

 bell flower. Thus his testimony ought effectually to dissipate 

 the impression that a life time is required to see the full matu- 

 rity and productiveness of seedling trees. 



The second premium is awarded, of course, to Willard A. 

 Arnold of Northampton. 



For the best collection of Garden Vegetables. First 

 premium to Wells Lathrop, of South Hadley, who exhibited 

 23 varieties; second premium to Dr. Walker, 17 varieties; 

 third premium to John W. Wilson, ten varieties. 



The attention of the committee was early directed to three 

 varieties of potato, imported in 1850, by John Eden, of 

 Northampton, and kindly distributed by him for the purpose of 

 testing their adaptation to American soil. These varieties are 

 known as the Axbridge Kidney, the prolific, and the Scotch, 

 and, as we understand from Mr. Eden, came to him through 

 the generosity and devoted interest to the cause of agriculture, 

 of the Earl Ducie. 



Contributions of three varieties were made by Messrs. Wm. 

 Clark, Jr., Dr. Lewis Hopkins, of Northampton, and T. P. 

 Huntington, of Hadley, the latter of whom contributed also 

 two additional varieties, and reports that of the three varieties 

 first named, he raised thirty-seven bushels from six quarts of 

 seed. i\hira Lyman of Northampton, also exhibited six out of 

 twenty varieties grown by him the present season, and consid- 



