ESSEX SOCIETY. 47 



To Joshua Hale, of Newburyport, for the St. Lawrence 



apple, . . . . . . $0 75 



" A. Burnham, of Gloucester, best dish Bartlett pears, 50 



The best Seedling Isabella grape, was from Alvin Moor, of 

 Tewksbury. This being out of the limits of the county, your 

 committee could only return their thanks to Mr. Moor for his 

 contribution, and as it was the best Seedling Isabella shown, 

 we have named the fruit Moor's Isabella. To the above gen- 

 tleman, and to W. H. Hill, of Plaistow, who sent us fruit, our 

 thanks are due. Most of the specimens of fruit raised in and 

 around Lawrence, were fine ; the soil being generally of a 

 light sandy loam, is peculiarly fitted for the cultivation of the 

 peach and gi'ape, the high flavor of the former equalling those 

 of New Jersey, and the earlier ripening of the Isabella grape 

 indicates a warm soil, and one well adapted for these fruits. 



Mr. Barker, of Methuen, who obtained the highest gratuity 

 for apples, raised them on soil of the above description, and 

 we were struck with their smooth and bright appearance, being 

 free from blight or mildew. 



The abundant supply of apples, the past season, throughout 

 the country, particularly of the early varieties, and the diffi- 

 culty of finding a ready market, has demonstrated that the 

 caution thrown out some years since in the " reports" was not 

 altogether premature. We then remarked that apples, ripen- 

 ing at the time of our finest pears and peaches, would have 

 but a very limited sale ; hence the cultivation of winter apples 

 was recommended as the most remunerative. At a recent 

 meeting of a neighboring society, the fruit committee recom- 

 mended to farmers the general cultivation of the Gravenstein. 

 This fine German apple would command its proper value, did 

 it not ripen with the Bartlett, Harvard, Andrew^s, and other of 

 our choicest pears and peaches. With the exception of early 

 fall sweeting apples, which are wanted for cooking, the sale of 

 dessert apples, ripening thus early in the fall, will be small, par- 

 ticularly in seasons when the pear or peach is abundant. 



In the cultivation of fruit for sales, it is not good policy to 

 run to one or two varieties, however excellent ; for the local 

 markets may be overstocked. We have a case in point, in the 

 general cultivation of the Baldwin apple. The Danvers Win- 



