59 



tended, asking for such fruit as only our soil and climate can 

 furnish. 



To help in this great work, we have a word to say and a re- 

 quest to make of the boys. If the good, active, wide awake and 

 energetic boys of Norfolk County will, each of them, next year 

 and every year, plant a single tree of the kind of fruit each loves 

 best, purchasing it with the result of his own labor, planting it in 

 the right way, as a tree should be planted that is to live and 

 grow ; and if they Avill afterward cultivate these trees, listening, 

 reading, and studying how to do it in the best manner, it will not 

 be long before our County will be, in this respect, the model 

 County of the world. Try it, boys of Norfolk, and see. 



Socrates has said, " For of what is valuable and excellent, the 

 gods grant nothing to mankind without labor and care ; * * and 

 if you are anxious that the earth should yield you abundance of 

 fruit, you must cultivate the earth ; if you think that you should 

 enrich yourself from herds of cattle, you must bestow care upon 

 herds of cattle ; * * or if you wish to be vigorous in the body, 

 you must accustom your body to obey your mind, and exercise it 

 with toil and exertion." 



The Committee have many regrets that the premiums at their 

 disposal have not been more numerous and valuable. It should 

 be said, however, that many contributors take a just pride and 

 pleasure in exhibiting their productions of the garden and of the 

 orchard, without any wish for compensation, beyond the feeling 

 that they are benefiting the Society and the public. The prac- 

 tice of horticulture is refining and humanizing ; the cultivator of 

 fine fruit cultivates himself more than he is aware, and becomes, 

 insensibly, a better husband and father, a more liberal and gen- 

 erous citizen, and a nobler man. 



Our exhibition this year was particularly rich in apples, the 

 true king of fruits. 



Thaddeus Clapp, of Dorchester, exhibited 35 varieties, and Ave 

 award him the 1st premium of $4. 



Aaron D. Weld, of West Roxbury, 23 varieties, 2d premium, $3. 



N. T. Davenport, of Milton, 3d premium, $2. 



For the best single dish, to E. Polleys, of Walpole — Roxbury 

 Russets, $2. 



For a fine display of 25 varieties, the Society's diploma to Ar- 

 thur W. Austin, of West Roxbury. 



Diplomas to E. Polleys, Walpole (10 varieties) ; to Francis 

 Marsh of Dedham, for superb Coggswell apples ; to E. P. Bur- 

 gess, of Dedham, for a fine collection, and also to F. F. Stedraan, 

 of Needham, B. White, of Milton, and John C. Davis, of ])cdhum. 



To Joseph Crane, of Dedham, Avho exhibited 1(5 varieties, Ave 

 recommend a copy of" Downing's Fruit and Fruit Trees." 



Many other contributors deserve more than your Committee 



