70 



and advance the progress of horticulture. At present, this pest 

 has nearly deprived us of our plums, and threatens to wrest from 

 us our peaches, cherries, and even apples ; while nectarines and 

 apricots, are now unheard of. 



A plan for increasing the size and hastening the maturity of 

 certain kinds of fruit, has been somewhat adopted and is worthy 

 of mention. Messrs. G. & C. Craft, of Brookline, exhibited Isa- 

 bella grapes treated in this manner, and grown in the open air, 

 perfectly ripe, and of remarkable size and beauty. This fine 

 grape does not ripen perfectly in this vicinity, unless the season is 

 unusually favorable, and consequently the plan in question, ena- 

 bling us to grow the fruit to unusual size, and to anticipate by at 

 least two weeks the time of ripening, deserves attention. The 

 process consists in what is called " ringing the vine,''^ which is, 

 simply, removing from the bearing shoot below the fruit, and when 

 the grapes are about half grown, a ring of bark, half an inch Avide. 

 By this means, the sap being interrupted in its descent, stimulates 

 the ripening clusters, and forces them to increased and luxuriant 

 growth and early maturity. This method might, doubtless, be ap- 

 plied to all kinds of fruit, but, involving as it does, at the end of 

 the season, the loss of the shoot so treated, it will probably be ad- 

 visable to adopt it only in the cultivation of the grape, or perhaps 

 the grape and peach. 



The display of apples was large and fine, the crop being abun- 

 dant in this vicinity. 



The premiums were awarded as follows : — 



For the best collection of the most approved standard apples, 



to Thaddeus Clapp of Dorchester, . . $4.00 



For the second best collection, to Aaron D. Weld, of West 



Roxbury, 3.00 



For the third best collection, to Moses Kingsbury, of West 



Dedham, 2.00 



For the best single dish, for very fine Roxbury Russett 



Apples, to Edmund Policy, of Walpole, . . 2.00 



For fine displays, the Committee also award Diplomas to 

 Cheever Newhall of Dorchester, Lewis Davenport of Milton, and 

 to Miss Mary A. Carlton of Dorchester, and would recommend 

 to A. W. Shumway of Dover, and also to D. A. GoldthAvait of 

 Stoughton, a copy of " Downing'' s Fruit and Fruit Trees of 

 America.''^ 



The Society is also indebted to Wm. Whiting of Dedham, Cal- 

 vin Richards of Dover, Joseph Crane of Dedham, Lucas Pond of 

 Wrentham, Charles Sloan of Milton, and B. Caldcr of Dedham, 

 for valuable contributions. 



