348 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. No. 4. 



president, Mr. Samuel Hartwell, " Gravenstein Farm." 

 Here on every hand was seen the evidence of thrift and suc- 

 cessful fruit orowinij and market gardening. The fruit 

 trees, principally of apples, were heavily loaded with fruit, 

 especially the winter sorts, the Gravensteins and other fall 

 varieties having been largely harvested. The unfortunate 

 condition of the apple crop in JVIassachusetts was as perfectly 

 illustrated in the Baldwin trees on tliis farm as perhaps 

 could be found anywhere in the State, the trees literally 

 breaking down under their burden of fruit, the number 

 being so great that they could not possibly mature of good 

 size or color, and, to add to the difBculty, the little insects 

 known as the leaf hoppers w^ere feeding in such numbers on 

 the leaves and fruit that the growth action of the trees was 

 almost wholly suspended. 



Mr. Hartwell showed the company some eighty or more 

 bushel boxes of Gravenstein apples nicely packed ready to 

 be loaded upon his market wagons to be taken into Boston, 

 where he had already sold about fifteen hundred boxes at 

 prices ranging from 50 cents to $1.50 per box. The perfec- 

 tion of the fruit and its attractive packing was a sure guar- 

 antee of its being sold at the highest market price. His 

 method of harvesting the Gravenstein is to allow the well- 

 colored fruit to fall upon a mulch under the trees, when it is 

 gathered each day and carefully packed in the ordinary 

 bushel market box. Many of his trees of this variety he 

 finds to be seriously injured near the ground, probably by 

 the frost, the bark being started ofiT, and in some cases they 

 have died from the injury. 



A vote of thanks was given Mr. Hartwell and the other 

 members of the committee of arrangements for so enjoyable 

 and profitable an entertainment. 



Four new members were added to the list at this meeting. 



