SECRETARY'S REPORT. 287 



interest in this State, as well as in the county, any practical 

 metliod of preventing the ravages of insects would be of great 

 value. 



The pears have increased as much, perhaps, in proportion, as 

 the apples have fallen off, and every year there are large num- 

 bers of trees planted out, both in gardens and orchards, and 

 there are annually large quantities of this fine fruit sold, which 

 is raised principally in the lower part of the county. Tlie city 

 of Cambridge is probably tlie largest pear-growing town in New 

 England, producing five thousand bushels annually, and increa^ 

 ing the quantity each year. I also find that, in fourteen towns, 

 there are at least fifty-three acres of hardy grapes, planted for 

 vineyard culture. Tliis estimate does not include any lots of 

 less than one-fourth of an acre. 



In the town of Concord there are sixteen acres, and in 

 Acton, nine acres, and in these and many other towns there are 

 preparations making for planting extensively next spring. 



Nineteen towns report one hundred and twenty acres of straw- 

 berries. Belmont alone has twenty-five acres, and five acres of 

 raspberries. Of vegetables. West Cambridge has six hundred 

 acres of land in market gardening ; value of the product, 

 1180,000. Watertown, eighty-eight acres; value $39,950. 

 Newton one hundred and eighty acres. Other towns are in the 

 same business to considerable extent, and in some eight or ten 

 of them it is the leading product. Cucumbers are grown for 

 pickles to considerable extent in Lincoln, which had last year 

 one hundred acres ; also in Burlington, Lexington, Weston, 

 Waltham, Concord, Bedford and other towns. Crop, from one 

 hundred to one hundred and thirty thousand to an acre. Price, 

 fl.40 per thousand, delivered in Boston or Charlestown, and 

 usually contracted for by the pickle dealers previous to planting. 

 This crop is not considered an exhausting one. 



Cranberries are raised to considerable extent throughout the 

 entire county. Sherborn alone sold two thousand barrels last 

 year. 



Twenty towns report two thousand two hundred and sixty- 

 three sheep. With only two exceptions, they are reported as 

 not profitable. Two flocks in the above estimate, containing 

 four hundred and fifty head, have been sold within a short time, 

 their owners being determined to get rid of them, as they are 



