18 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1847. 



appropriated for all garden esculents, were introduced to two lots of large 

 Black Beaus, — one lot stringed, the oth^er shelled, exhibited by their successful 

 owner, Mr. David S. Messinger, of Worcester. 



Of the number of Beets entered for exhibition, the most promising was a 

 large sized Sugar Blood Beet — fourteen pounds in weight and twenty inches in 

 circumference — from the garden of Mr. P. H. Perrin, of Westborough. Mr. 

 Perrin also entered one of the common Blood Beets, and Miss S. Waldo, of 

 Worcester, presented for exhibition one of the same kind, showing signs of 

 superior cultivation, and not to be beaten in size. 



There were several lots of the Orange Carrot exhibited. One veteran among 

 the rest seemed to attract some attention, — -fourteen of the family being united 

 upon one parent stock, and exhibiting symptoms of a family affection rarely 

 witnessed among carrots. The owner, Mr. 0. B. Had wen, also entered other 

 specimens for exhibition, some of the Orange Carrot, and others of the large 

 White family, apparently all well cultivated. A Vegetable Oyster accompanied 

 Mr. H.'s collection of Carrots, — and if we mistake not, belongs to the same 

 genus. In this connection, your Committee cannot but express the hope, that 

 in future our farmers and horticulturists may more fully consider the importance 

 of this valuable esculent as an article of food iov fattening stock. Satisfactory 

 experiments with this have recently been made, for which we would refer to 

 Hon. Henry Colman's second Report on Massachusetts Agriculture ; and for 

 examples of extraordinary success in the cultivation of carrots, we have noticed 

 the same Report, which contains some very interesting experiments made on 

 the farms of Messrs. D. W. Lincoln, Wm. A. Wheeler, and John Hammond, 

 of Worcester. Carrots seem to have been early cultivated in Germany, and 

 introduced into England in the sixteenth century, whence they were brought to 

 this country. 



A solitary specimen of the Cauliflower, as a peculiar species of the Cabbage, 

 was introduced by Mr. D. W. Lincoln, probably to remind the spectators of tJiat 

 esculent, which is said by a recent author, to have "furnished epicures of all 

 countries with some of their greatest luxuries.'' 



Of the large family of Cucumbers, our attention was called to its most re- 

 markable variety, known as the Cucumis Angiiinus, or Snake Cucumber, — a 

 smooth, green looking vegetable, of a ferocious appearance and bitter taste, 

 but, as your Committee are informed and believe, of a perfectly harmless dis- 

 position. 



A question arose in the minds of some of the Committee, whether the term 

 "vegetable" could with propriety be applied to our well-known Melons. Waiv- 

 ing all discussion, however, and trusting that the members of other Committees 

 will not be inclined to dispute with us on the subject of vegetable juvhdiciion, 

 we will venture to notice and commend one large Water Melon exhibited by 

 Mr. Alpheus Merrifield. of Worcester. We should be glad to speak of its 

 tasteful quality, but cannot decide as to that matter. F. W. Paine, Esq., of 

 Worcester, presented two fine Cantelopes for exhibition, and Mr. 0. B. Hadwen 

 two spicy Nutmeg Melons. We trust there will be a fuller representation of 



