REPORT OF THE COIVIMITTEE ON VEGETABLES FOR 

 THE YEAR 1908. 



BY JOSIAH B. SHURTLEFF, JR., CHAIRMAN. 



The Vegetable Committee is pleased to state that, considering 

 the exceptionally dry season, the exhibitions, as a whole, for the 

 vear 1908 were of unusual merit. 



Keen interest has been taken by the exhibitors and competition 

 has been very close in most of the classes. 



There were ten exhibitions, all of which were unusually well 

 attended and the visitors as well as exhibitors were well pleased 

 with the remarkably fine cjuality of the vegetables. 



INIiddlesex County has always led in the growing of vegetables 

 in Massachusetts, but this year it has been defeated by our friends 

 from Tavmton who have won more than half of the prizes offered. 



In ]May the displays were both large and of excellent quality 

 and included sweet corn, green peas, string beans,^ and cauliflower. 



In June a First Class Certificate of ^Nlerit was awarded Farquhar's 

 new tomato. In July onions of unusual size were displayed by 

 W. J. Clemson. 



In September the new English variety of tomato (Cannon Ball) 

 was a special feature. It is an ideal variety for table use and was 

 given Honorable Mention. 



The October show was the largest of the season and had the keen- 

 est of competition in most all classes. The quality was unusually 

 fine and the salad collections were large and intensely interesting. 



The November displays were large and of excellent quality and 

 the celery was exceptionally well grown. 



The amount awarded for prizes and gratuities during the year 

 was 1940; there were also awarded two Silver ]\Iedals and one 

 Bronze INIedal. 



One of the Silver Medals was awarded in March to F. E. Cole 

 of Beverly for superior cultivation of vegetables grown under 

 glass, and the committee feels that this class of vegetables should 

 be encouraged to a greater extent. 



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