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It has been said that " the exception establishes the 

 rule." We think, however, that we can give a rule which 

 has no exception. A jjeach yJiould always be ripened on 

 the tree^ a pear always off] and we are quite confident 

 that the rule governing the treatment of the peach is ap- 

 plicable to the plum as well, to which we would call 

 especial attention. In our book of arrangements I find 

 no mention made of either plums or quinces, as fruits 

 worthy of the notice and encouragement from the Society. 

 We think specific premiums should be olifered for both of 

 these fruits, and definite numbers designated for exhib- 

 ition. With the plum we must keep in mind the adapti- 

 bility of the fruit to our climate and length of season. In 

 plums the Green Gage takes the place that the Seckle 

 pear does in its class, at the head; not for size, but for 

 its pure, intrinsic worth. The Imperial Gage, a seedling 

 from the above, is a fruit of excellent quality, and a hardy 

 tree. Of some of the earlier varieties, we should class 

 them in about this order: Washington, Jefferson, Guii, 

 Yellow Egg, later followed by Bradshaw, Lombard, 

 Golden Esperine and Coe's Golden Drop. Of the latter 

 we have this year had opportunity to taste, at Lawrence, 

 Sept. 22 and Boston Oct. 4. The first specimen was 

 green throughout; the second not ripe one-half way to 

 the stone. Therefore we should hardly feel justified in 

 recommending this variety for cultivation in Essex Co. 

 We have been giving our trees about one quart of coarse 

 salt to the tree, sown broadcast under the tree in April. 

 Have succeeded in keeping clear of the black knot, 

 whether by the use of salt we cannot say, but we have 

 much faith in the remedy for the disease — it certainly 

 must be detrimental to the multitude of larvae that are 

 found in the soil — and its chemical action on many of the 

 fertilizers used is decidedly beneficial. 



QUINCE. 



In the crop of 1892 we have seen some of the finest, 



