28o The Cultivaiioji of Fruits in City Gardens. 



THE CULTIVATION OF FRUITS IN CITY GARDENS. 



Many years ago, it was the custom or fashion of the residents of this city 

 (New York) to grow grape-vines, peach, plum, nectarine, apricot, or fig 

 trees, and also gooseberries and strawberries, in the small yards or gardens 

 attached to their houses ; the cultivation of which was a source of great 

 pleasure to the proprietors, especially as it was attended with great and 

 gratifying success, enabling them to obtain fruit of superior quality at far 

 less cost than it could be obtained in the markets. 



To show what has been done, and therefore what can be done, in culti- 

 vating fruits in city gardens, I propose to give some extracts from the 

 Minutes of the Inspecting Committee of the New- York Horticultural So- 

 ciety (now in my possession) from forty to forty-five years ago : — 



1822, Jtme 4. — One quart of " Carolina Chili " strawberries were exhibited, 

 which were remarkably fine : some of them measured 3| inches in circumference. 

 (A note appended to the minutes states that they were raised from seeds of the 

 Chili Strawberry, crossed by some other variety.) 



Jmie 25. — Gooseberries were presented by different parties, the best six 

 weighing over 2^ ounces avoirdupois : the best one is noted as weighing \ an 

 ounce. 



Aug. 6. — Ten Bolmar (Washington) plums, each measuring 6i inches in 

 circumference. 



1823. — The records show exhibitions of strawberries, commencing May 27; 

 raspberries and gooseberries, July i. 



Aug. 26. — A number of fine peaches, and also a fine bunch of grapes, were 

 presented. 



Sept. 2. — Several gentlemen presented peaches ; and one gentleman present- 

 ed four bunches of the Muscadine Grape, one bunch weighing 12^ ounces. 



Sept. 9. — One gentleman presented three sorts of grapes : other gentlemen 

 exhibited grapes and peaches. 



Sept. 16. — Peaches were exhibited, two of which weighed 15^ ounces ; also 

 three bunches of grapes, which weighed respectively i6j-, 17^, and 25 ounces. 



Sept. 23. — A peach weighing 12} ounces was presented ; and the remark is 

 made, that the tree had between fifty and sixty of nearly the same size this season. 

 At this meeting, several bunches of the Isabella Grape were exhibited. This is 

 the first instance, I believe, of their being shown at a society meeting. 



Oct. 7. — A bunch of grapes was exhibited raised from seeds of grapes im- 

 ported from Malaga in 1819. It is noted as being very compact and solid, and 

 a very fine bunch. 



