FRANKLIN SOCIETY. 305 



years. The failure of the peach was anticipated. The severity 

 of the winter last past proved fatal to most of the peach buds, 

 and to a large portion of the trees in this county. A few hill 

 towns, as Shelburne, Conway, and Whately, escaped. A few 

 specimens were presented, which were very fine. The Messrs. 

 Wells, of Shelburne, exhibited several choice varieties of seed- 

 ling peaches. This we regard as by far the surest mode of 

 raising peaches in our climate. If we mistake not, it will be 

 found that seedlings suffered but little from the cold of last 

 winter, while budded trees were badly killed. Of pears there 

 were but few from the county. A beautiful specimen of Bart- 

 lett, raised on Mountain Ash, was presented by Mr. (I know 

 not who.) A choice collection was presented by his Honor, 

 Lieut. Gov. Cushman, from Roxbury. They were much ad- 

 mired, and it is to be hoped may prove a means of exciting 

 an increased interest in the cultivation of this excellent fruit. 

 Next to the apple, there is probably no fruit which we can 

 raise more easily than the pear. 



Of plums, some fine specimens were presented by Mr. Field, 

 of Gill, who also exhibited some two varieties of pears. Of 

 quinces, there were but few, those were uncommonly large and 

 fair. 



Fine specimens of native grapes were exhibited by Mr. 

 Gunn, of Montague, Mr. E. E. Robinson, of Sunderland, and 

 others. But the committee looked in vain for Isabellas or Ca- 

 tawbas, both of which are universal favorites, and may be: 

 produced here in perfection. The display of vegetables. \3i?^s 

 highly creditable to the contributors. Pumpkias,. squashes, 

 beets, turnips, carrots, cabbages, potatoes, and onions, have 

 attained to such enormous dimensions as to give evidence that, 

 however much others may have suffered fr^in. want of moist- 

 ure, they have been revelling in profusion^ 



Respectfully submitted by the eommittee^ 



R. Bv HuBBAiw),. Qiairumm.. 



D. and H. Wells, of Shelburne, apples, 1st premium, . $3 00 



Orsamus O. Bardwell, " " 2d « . 2 00 



Orlando Hawks, of Deerfield, « 3d " . 1 00 



Henry M. Fisk, «• 4th, , 50 



39 



