RErORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FRUITS. 257 



The Strawberry Show was more than usually successful ; the 

 competition was earnest and close, especially for the larger prizes. 

 While several past favorites have disappeared from our tables, 

 new varieties have taken their places, and the interest in seed- 

 lings and the practice of growing them are constantlv increasing, 

 and several promising new ones were shown at this exhibition. 

 Messrs. Campbell & Gowing showed on June 21 a new seedling 

 variety which very closely resembled the Jewell in size, form, and 

 color ; but they claimed that it is some ten days earlier, and that 

 the berries shown were among the last picked from the vines, and 

 they were unable to show any specimens at the Rose and Straw- 

 berry Exhibition on the 24th and 25th. Unless these were grown 

 in an exceptionally warm situation this new variety bids fair to 

 meet the demand of the market-growers, who have long felt the 

 need of a large-sized, early variety, thus extending the season 

 and furnishing what the trade demands — large-sized, handsome 

 fruit. Benjamin M. Smith showed a seedling from Miner's 

 Prolific, which he has named the Beverly, from the town where 

 it originated. It resembled the parent very closely, but was 

 somewhat larger in size, and, as grown by Mr. Smith, was a 

 strong, vigorous plant, and very productive. Among the recently 

 introduced varieties that seemed the most promising were the 

 Jessie, Bubach, Louise, and Crawford. 



There has been the usual quantity of summer fruits shown at 

 the weekly exhibitions, and the quality has been above the 

 average. The Currant has generally been a partial, and in some 

 places a total, failure the past season, and those who were so 

 fortunate as to have a crop, realized about double the usual prices 

 for them. There were no new varieties of Raspberries or Black- 

 berries shown, the Dorchester, as usual, carrying off most of the 

 prizes for the latter. The fruit growers in this vicinity give less 

 attention to these two species of fruit, in proportion to their 

 merit, than to any others. Their liability to winter-killing, and 

 the consequent failure of a crop, prevents their more general cul- 

 tivation. 



At the Plant and Flower Show held at Music Hall in August, 

 prizes were awarded for fruit, amounting to one hundred and five 

 dollars. This amount was not taken from the appropriation made 

 by the Society, but was contributed by private individuals. 



At the annual exhibition in September a most interesting and 



