358 Notes and Gleanings. 



Massachusetts Horticultural Society. — We give below the remain- 

 ing portion of the report of the Fruit Committee, which we commenced last 

 month : — 



'• Citrrattts. — La Versaillaise has uniformly taken the first prize, and is first on 

 the list. Red and White Dutch are still standard kinds. In view of the growing 

 scarcit}' of this health-giving fruit, and its enhanced price in our market, our cul- 

 turists would do well to extend their plantations ; remembering to provide a gener- 

 ous supply of manures retentive of moisture, cultivating the ground as carefully as 

 for pears, and guarding against all approaches of the currant-worm. Nearly all 

 our gardens are infested by this pest. The eggs of this worm are deposited 

 singly on the branches, and near the buds. As soon as hatched, the worm pene- 

 trates to the pith, upon which it feeds, until the month of June, when it escapes 

 as a moth to deposit another batch of eggs. It is manifestly impracticable to 

 reach the borer when burrowed in the stem, secretly destroying the heart of the 

 bushes ; but it has been asserted that the applications of air-slacked lime, plas- 

 ter, ashes, or even superphosphates, and whale-oil soap, upon the foliage and 

 stems of the bushes, have been found to be destructive of the pest. Without 

 having had experience, we suggest that these remedies are probably effectual only 

 against the winged moth, which appears about the middle of June ; and she may 

 be prevented from depositing her eggs, either by the offensive odors, or by the 

 gritty dust of the lime and plaster, which is fixed by the dews. Whether these 

 remedies are effectual or not, of this we are confident, — that good culture will 

 insure good results. 



" Raspberries. — Knevett's Giant is still the leading and the prize kind. Clarke 

 has fruited with us, and is regarded as very hardy, vigorous, and promising; but 

 its qualities can be more definitely determined another season. The Philadel- 

 phia will never appear as an exhibition truit; and its size is much against it as a 

 market-fruit. its marked productiveness and hardiness will commend it to 

 many. Will not the increasing scarcity and the very high price of the raspberry 

 in the Boston market induce many to attempt the supply of this want .'' 



'' Blackberries. — On the 8th of August, Mr. R. R. Fletcher exhibited the 

 Wachuset Blackberry, which is called thornless. It is similar in shape to the 

 Dorchester, but not as large nor as sweet, though the specimens exhibited were 

 not quite ripe, and probably not the best of the kind. It is claimed to be very 

 productive and hardy. It cannot be said to be thornless, yet the evil is essen- 

 tially mitigated, in comparison with common kinds On this account, it deserves 

 trial. The culture of the older kirkis is decreasing ; but newer varieties bid fair 

 to increase the interest in this fruit. Neither the Kittatinny, Wilson, nor Mis- 

 souri Mammoth have been exhibited ; and we can form no opinion of their mer- 

 its. The interest in these fruits ts by no means as extensive with us as it is in 

 the vicinity of New York and Philadelphia. Indeed, it would seem that the en- 

 thusiasm of that section was beyond the bounds of moderation. There is a 

 limit in the amount which can be cared for, which limit was exceeded by many 

 fruit-growers in New Jersey the past season ; large quantities of strawberry and 

 other small fruits being allowed to perish for want of pickers. Notwithstanding 

 the positive assertions of those who have the plants to sell, there is also a limit 



