278 • MASSACHUSETTS HORTICTILTURAL SOCIETY. 



A new departure at the Annual Exhibition this year was the 

 separation of the Plant and Flower Show from that of the Fruit 

 and Vegetables. By this arrangement the Fruit and Vegetable 

 departments at the Annual Show were left with both the halls of 

 the Society to fill. Some fears were entertained that we should 

 not he able to occupy so much space without the assistance of the 

 Flower Department, but the result proved that such fears w^ere 

 unfounded. The display of vegetables completely filled the lower 

 hall^ and taken as a whole, was one of the best exhibitions which 

 this department has ever made. We were indebted to the Bos- 

 ton Public Institutions at Long Island and the Boston Asylum 

 and Farm School for large and interesting collections at this 

 exhibition. 



The show of forced vegetables, January 4, was not as large as 

 it should have been, only about half the prizes on the Schedule 

 being competed for. The specimens of varieties shown, how- 

 ever, were fully up to the average. 



The season for out-door vegetables was opened, May 10, with 

 Asparagus, Edmund Hersey taking first prize with some very fine 

 specimens, and Leonard W. Weston the first prize at the follow- 

 ing show. The ravages of the Asparagus Beetle are now much 

 complained of, and threaten the destruction of this valuable crop, 

 unless some remedy is soon found for this pest. Several among 

 our contributors are largely engaged in the culture of asparagus, 

 having acres devoted to its production, and the loss of this crop 

 would be a serious one to them. A liberal application of air- 

 slacked lime, sown broadcast just as the shoots are about to make 

 their appearance, and repeated if necessary, has been recommended 

 and tried with success bj- one of our contributors. The remedy 

 is simple and cheap, if effectual. Rusts, blights, and mildews are 

 also subtle enemies of our fruit and vegetable crops, and how to 

 overcome or avoid them cannot be known until we have learned 

 more about them. A wide field is opened up to our scientists, 

 who are at present devoting considerable attention to this subject, 

 and it is hoped they may find the causes of these dreaded foes and 

 remedies to counteract them. 



The show of vegetables, August 20, was the largest and decid- 

 edly the best of all the weekly exhibitions during the season. 

 The prizes were all competed for, and all but one were awarded. 

 At this exhibition, Joseph S. Fay exhibited fine specimens of his 



