ON FRUITS AND FLOWERS. 83 



I have made experiments on the potato crop, of which 

 I should be glad to inform you more fully another year. 

 I planted six hills of potatoes; each hill produced one 

 bushel, heaping measure, and the potatoes were all as 

 large as a goose egg. 



Three persons witnessed my digging them — but I will 

 say no more at present. 



Your humble servant, 



JOSHUA TOPPAN. 

 Newbury, Nov. 16, 1844. 



ON FRUITS AND FLOWERS. 



The Committee appointed to distribute the premiums 

 and gratuities offered by the Society for fruits and flow- 

 ers, before announcing their awards beg leave to con- 

 gratulate it on the improvements in their cultivation, 

 both as it respects quality and variety, which the speci- 

 mens exhibited from year to year indicate, and although 

 in regard to the quality of the fruit, its superiority in 

 this over preceding years, may in part be attributed to 

 the peculiar propitious season withwhich by the blessing 

 of Divine Providence we have been favored, yet much 

 of it must also be attributed to the increased attention 

 given to this branch of agricultural pursuits and to the 

 improved methods of culture adopted by the members of 

 the Society. But whilst much has been done it is also 

 to be remembered that very much more remains to do ; 

 much remains to be done in ascertaining by experiment 

 what mode of culture, what soils and situations, are best 

 adapted to the different varieties of fruits, before this 

 branch of agriculture will have attained a due degree of 

 perfection when compared with other branches of the 

 same science. Much also remains to be done in produc- 

 ing the different varieties of each, in order to ascertain 

 which from their peculiar qualities are most valuable, 

 and best adapted to our soil and climate. It is a well 

 established fact that varieties which flourish and produce 



