1884.] TRANSACTIONS. 13 



tributor, weighed eight pounds and 9^ ounces, — or one hundred 

 and thirtj-seven and one-half (137-|) ounces in all, — of uniforn> 

 and surpassing excellence. Wherein do those figures lie? 



Again, — a single Seckel, A. D., 1859, weighed three and one- 

 half (3^) ounces ; another, A. D., 1860, four and three-quarters 

 (4f) ounces: the aggregate of a dozen, at that highest rate, being 

 Fifty-Seven (57) ounces. But there was no such dozen ! Now, — 

 A. D., 1884, twelve Seckels, entered in one lot, weighed Four 

 pounds and twelve and one-half (4 lbs. 12^) ounces, — the gross 

 weight in ounces being Seventy-six and one-half (76|^). 



The experience of the Society with the Bartlett has been 

 varied and somewhat peculiar. A. D., 1860, the largest specimen 

 exhibited weighed twelve (12) ounces. There is no record that 

 such extreme weight was ever exceeded, here. But the proba- 

 bility is strong, — indeed almost demonstrable as fact, — that the 

 specimen was unique. A. D., 1862, a subscription initiated by 

 John C. Ripley, resulted in the offer of a Premium of Twenty- 

 Five Dollars ! ($25.00 !) for the " Twelve best Bartlett Pears grown 

 by the competitor in the County of "Worcester." It chanced to 

 be the lot of our present honored President to adjudicate uj^on 

 the dozen entries made for that extraordinary premium. His 

 Report says that 



" All the entries for this Premium were deserving of praise, but 

 there were two plates numbered 16, and 20, between which the con- 

 test evidently lay. They each presented strong points ; they were 

 evidently both of great weight. No. 16 contained four pears superior 

 in size to any of No. 20. The twelve pears of No. 16 weighed 8 

 pounds and 1 ounce. The twelve pears of No. 20 weighed 7 pounds 

 and 12 ounces. While no single pears of this plate were equal in size 

 to some of No. 16, yet they were of more uniform size and superior in 

 fairness and color. Had there been a great difierence in the weight, 

 the Committee would have been governed by that, but the difference 

 of only five ounces in one hundred and twenty-nine ounces we thought 

 was balanced by the greater uniformity and fairness of the others, &c." 



The premium was therefore awarded, in equal shares to Messrs. 

 John C. Ripley, and E. S. Stebbins, each of whom returned his 

 moiety that a similar premium might be offered for competition 

 during the ensuing year. The result was a severe disappoint- 

 ment. But six (6) competitors appeared, and the weight of the 

 successful dozen was Eight pounds one and one-fourth ounces ; 



