152 ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT 



has been an off year, the extreme clronth of the early part of 

 the season checking even the frnit that did set. Strawberries 

 and other small fruits were more severely affected, perhaps, 

 than the larger orchard fruits. Where it was possible to 

 irrigate, or where the soil was of such a nature that it retained 

 moisture, good crops were secured. Crenerally, however, they 

 were cut very short. Not only was the crop small, but the 

 season has been an exceptionally hard one in which to estab- 

 lish new plantations, and therefore a lack of similar fruit is 

 liable to be felt next season. 



It is generally considered that this has been the severest 

 drouth we have had at this season of the year for the past 

 generation. "With our great variety of fruits, however, we find 

 that what is harmful to one! seems to favor another; the season 

 was an ideal one for the grape. Eeports from all sections go 

 to show that not only Avas the crop very heavy but varieties 

 which have heretofore been very indifferent, especially in 

 ripening, matured this season and were exceptionally fine. 

 The station vineyard, which is just coming into bearing, gave 

 very fair returns, especially of the following varieties: Warden, 

 Concord, Eaton, Early Ohio, Champion, Hartford, Ives' Seed- 

 ling, Niagara, Brighton, Wyoming Eed, Delaware, and Green 

 Mountain. We anticipate giving a fuller report on the grape 

 later. 



The finest display seen this season in New Hampshire was 

 the exhibit of Mr. J. E. Batchelder of Wilton, N. H., at Nashua. 

 Mr. Batchelder exhibited at both the State Horticultural So- 

 cietv and the Nashua fair. His varieties were Moore's Earlv, 

 Pocklington, Warden, Brighton, Cleveland, Salem, Niagara, 

 Delaware, and Lindley. This exhibit was ideal throughout; 

 fine, large, shouldered, and well-developed bunches containing 

 large, well-colored berries characterized* each plate. Grapes 

 were plentiful and made a fine display at all of our fairs. 



The orchard or tree fruits, especially the apple, varied more 

 or less in difl;erent sections, some having practically none, 

 while others produced a fair showing. Strange to say, even 

 in the same section and orchard, a tree or part of a tree would 



