ON FRUIT TREES. 87 



ON FRUIT TREES. 



Thr CorniTiittee on fruit trees ask leave to present the 

 following report : 



That the number of Nurseries entered for premium 

 was but three, viz : 



George Thurlovv, West Newbury, 

 Joshua H. Ordvvay, do do 



Moses Pettingill, Topsfield, 



After examininjj the different Nurseries the Committee 

 determined to recommend George Thurlow, as deserving 

 of the first premium. They had no difficulty in deter- 

 mining in his case. Joshua H. Ordway received the 

 second premium last year, and by the rules of the Soci- 

 ety could compete only for the first premium. It is no 

 dis2:race to him to fall short of Mr. Thurlow. The 

 Committee thought that the cultivation of his Nursery 

 was creditable, and in particular the absence of weeds — 

 a remark which will apply to each of the Nurseries vis- 

 ited at West Newbury. If there was any deficiency, it 

 was in what seemed to be a want of system — a very im- 

 portant quality in the opinion of the Committee. In 

 justice to Mr. Ordway we ought to say, that he was not 

 present at the time of the visit, and might have made 

 plain what seemed to be obscure. 



The Committee regretted that they could not, con- 

 sistently with their ideas of the object of premiums, re- 

 commend Mr. Pettingill for a premium. They take 

 great pleasure in admitting the thrift and vigor of growth 

 of his peach trees, but as they considered it the effect 

 of a good soil rather than high and careful culture, they 

 could not on that account recommend a premium. We 

 hope this decision will not be considered a reproach up- 

 on Mr. Pettingill, for want of skill. The only wonder 

 is, that, conducting the operations upon so large a farm 

 as the one he occupies, with such a variety of products 

 to care for, he should find time to do any thing in the Nur- 

 sery. The Committee were glad to find, in conversing 

 with various individuals engaged in the growing of trees, 

 that the necessity of high cultivation both in the Nursery 



