14 



GARDEN VEGETABLES, GRAIN AND SEEDS 



It was a plasant surprise, and especially instructive to the 

 committee having in charge this department, to receive one of 

 the largest and finest collections of vegetables for exhibition 

 since the formation of the Society. 



The vi^et and cold of September prevented the usual display 

 of corn , other grains were seen in fair condition ; other crops 

 were in abundance, notably potatoes, squashes, beets, cabbages, 

 onions, beans, and the smaller varieties, which made it a necessi- 

 ty to put up a number of extra tables to hold them. 



The committee entered on the work of inspection with enthu- 

 siasm, and with an earnest desire that every contributor should 

 receive his share of the awards, well knowing the amount of 

 labor, skill, and expense in the production, and in the transpor- 

 tation to the hall. 



The contributors have shown likewise a better appreciation 

 of the uses and values of the products of the field and garden, 

 inasmuch as the specimens were generally of medium size. The 

 largest contributors were Mr. Cole and Sampson, and Kane and 

 Berry of Scituate, Mr. Gushing of Marshfield, and many others 

 of smaller amount, contributed too numerous here to mention. 



All together they have done the Society a good service in res- 

 cuing this department from the obscurity which threatened it 

 for a number of years past. Whatever may be said about the 

 market value of those products, their intrinsic, health-giving 



