Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 3^ 



fine quality. There is hardly any fruit from seedlings, of which greater 

 progress may be expected than this. The kinds introduced from England 

 do not thrive here ; indeed the fruit seems to be entirely changed, and to 

 lose that agreeable flavor which makes it so much admired there. This 

 difficulty CEfn be only remedied thoroughly by raising new varieties from 

 seed matured here ; the Committee beg to call tlie attention of members to 

 this subject, as they do not doubt, that as much interest will in a few years 

 be excited here by exhibitors of gooseberries as in any other region of the 

 horticultural world. 



Mr. Galen Merriam exhibited very fine specunens of the improved high 

 bush blackberry, under successful cultivation. This fruit, so grateful and 

 so wholesome for children, during the season of summer complaints, when 

 produced in the perfection exhibited by the cultivation of this gentleman, 

 readily commands $1 the box, while raspberries, requiring probably more 

 care, fetch only one quarter of this price. This is partly owing, no doubt, 

 to the extent of growth of the latter, but, if methods could be discovered by 

 which this blackberry can be made to yield in profusion, it would be a most 

 valuable addition to our catalogue of common fruits. And, with a view to 

 disseminating a knowledge of the origin and culture of the " Improved 

 High Blackberry," your Committee would call the attention of the pub- 

 lic to an article in the " Magazine of Horticulture," Vol, XVI, page 261. 

 The conununication is from the pen of the Hon. Josiah Lovett, one of our 

 Committee, and was written to the view of inducing the cultivation of a 

 fruit, in which he has been so eminently successful, 



Mr. Tudor, of Nahant, placed on the tables of the Society, Saturday, 

 October 1st, upwards of twenty varieties of pears, of great perfection and 

 beauty, grown under the influence of a new method of irrigation practised 

 by him. 



The exhibition of pears, throughout the whole season, has never yet been 

 approached, either in respect to number, beauty, or quality. Messrs, Hovey 

 & Co. exhibited fourteen new varieties of pears, of which they have handed 

 in the following descriptions : — 



1. Beurre Sterkman. A good sized fruit, with somewhat the appearance 

 of the Brown Buerre ; skin handsomely russeted ; stem medium length ; 

 flesh, buttery, melting, juicy, high flavored and delicious. October and 

 November. 



2. Belle Julie. Size, medium ; form, ovate ; skin, greenish, much rus- 

 seted ; flesh, melting, juicy, subacid, and excellent. October. 



3. Bergamot Leseble. Size, medium, roundish, somewhat flattened ; 

 skin, yellow, shaded with red ; flesh, very melting, juicy, sugary, perfumed 

 and excellent. September. 



4. Grand Solid. Size, medium ; form, roundish, with a pale cinnamon 

 russet skin ; flesh, melting, very juicy, rich, sugary, and delicious. No- 

 vember. 



5. Adams. Size, medium ; form, pyramidal ; skin, yellow, beautifully 

 colored with red ; flesh, melting, buttery, juicy, vinous, high flavoied and 

 delicious. September and October. 



