24 MASSACHUSETTS HORTirULTUlJ.O. S0CIP:TY. 



fruits, such as the maugo, etc., whicli are now ahuost unkuoTvn as 

 products of our own country. 



Benjamin G. Smith did not agree with Mr. Wood. He differed 

 with him in regard to the Rogers Hybrids for amateurs. He has 

 fifty-five varieties of grapes, inchiding the Wilder, Barry, Salem, 

 etc. He wished to speak a word of encouragement to amateurs 

 'as to the treatment of choice varieties of grapes. He always 

 covers his vines in the winter, first pruning severely ; Init if these 

 vines are neglected they will certainly mildew. He had tested 

 fifty-four varieties of choice grapes, and his final decision is that, 

 all things considered, Moore's Early is the best for general culture. 



Samuel Hartwell said that he has perhaps twenty varieties of 

 grapes, but not more than four or five of them are profitable to 

 grow for market. Moore's Early is most profitable, as every grape 

 in a bunch will ripen. The Worden is a very fine grape but it 

 will not ripen so evenly. Purple grapes sell better than white 

 varieties. The Hayes, Esther, and Pocklington are fine sorts ; the 

 Niagara is inclined to dr}' rot, and the Brighton, Amber Queen, 

 and August Giant, are liable to mildew. Some white grapes, the 

 Niagara for instance, come to maturity later and command prices 

 less than half that of Moore's Early. He intends to plant the 

 Woi'den between these white grapes and as the new plants come 

 on will cut out the old and less desirable white ones. He pro- 

 nounced the Gravenstein to be the queen of fall apples ; every one 

 is perfect and fit for market. He was pleased with the Red 

 Bietigheimer — for cooking only — its size and quality holding it 

 very much in favor. Oldenburg is very productive. The Baldwin 

 originated in this state long ago, and it seems to be deteriorating a 

 little. 



William H. Hunt was very nmch pleased to know what the 

 Agricultural Department is doing. His own experience with 

 grapes had been similar to that of Mr. Hartwell. The statement 

 that fruits succeed better in the neighliorhood of the place where 

 they originate is true to a certain extent, although there are many 

 exceptions, of which the Gravenstein apple and Bartlott pear are 

 conspicuous examples. 



Mr. Strong asked if we an- not liable to carry the question of 

 color a little too far. We sliould give the black a fair chance, 

 but should it have preference over the white? The reason might 

 be. in some degree, that we do not produce as fine bunches of Avhite 



