172 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



Almost from the earliest settlement, small local nur- 

 series have abounded in the state, and are here today to 

 the number of 53. An extensive general nursery at New 

 Canaan, in Fairfield county, is much the largest of any in 

 New England, while the small fruit and specialty nursery 

 at South Glastonbury, Hartford county, distributes plants 

 by the million all over the world. At Cromwell, Middle- 

 sex county, is a floricultural establishment which, with one 

 exception, has the largest area under glass of any such 

 establishment in America, and surpasses all others in the 

 annual production of superb roses. 



The late Judge A. J. Coe, of Meriden, was one of the 

 first men in America to take up the new chestnut culture 

 by the importation of the best foreign varieties and the selec- 

 tion of the best natives and their crosses. He commenced 

 the grafting on native sprouts and seedlings, and stimulated 

 quite a general chestnut grafting, so that a goodly number 

 of chestnut orchards are being established on land too 

 rough for cultivation, yet strong in its ability to grow the 

 chestnut tree and nut to perfection. 



At Wethersfield, in Hartford county. Orange and Milford, 

 in New Haven county, and Southport, in Fairfield county, are 

 many farms devoted to seed production. Onion seed and sweet 

 corn are the great specialties, but a great variet}' of other 

 seeds are also grown, especially at Wethersfield and Orange. 



Market-gardening is carried on quite extensively by 

 specialists near all large towns and cities, while, with so 

 many good markets always close at hand, vegetables and 

 fruits are sold in moderate quantities from nearly every 

 farm. The largest general market-garden farm is at New 

 Haven, where over 400 acres are under annual cultivation 

 with vegetables and small fruits. At Southport, Fairfield 

 and Westport there are many farms, both large and small, 

 devoted entirely to the production of onions. ''Southport 

 onions" are famous for fine appearance and quality, and 

 nowhere in America is the annual yield so great or price 

 received so high as in this district. Marketing is done in 

 sailing vessels direct from the farms to the dock markets 

 in New York, where the onions are sold direct to retail 

 dealers, boat captains acting as salesmen without com- 

 mission for the sake of carrying the freight. 



