Reports of Cojimittees. 9 



got to be of such magnitude, that the feeling has become quite 

 general, that a remedy of some kind is imperative. The question 

 arises, whether it is not within th^ scope and duty of the American 

 Institute to do something to correct this evil. Your committee are 

 of opinion that it is, and that the subject should be referred to a 

 competent committee for consideration. We have too many nov- 

 elties and too few means for ascertaining their real merit. 



The great strawberry show held in our rooms last June, may be 

 taken as evidence, that the interest felt in the improvement of 

 of this delicious fruit, remains unabated. Large numbers of new 

 kinds, noted for their size and productiveness were brought toge- 

 ther from various parts of the country, and these together with 

 many samples of the good old varieties, made a very interest!^, 

 exhibition. The season, however, in the vicinity of New York, was 

 so wet and unfavorable as not to warrant any safe deductions as to 

 the actual merits of most of the new kinds, and the same remark 

 will hold equally true of apples, pears, peaches, grapes, &c., which 

 were mostly flat and insipid in flavor. It is interesting, however, 

 to note in this connection, the compensating advantages of a variety 

 of climate, such as we enjoy; though a crop may be very poor and 

 worthless in one section, or even entirely fail, it is quite sure to be 

 abundant and excellent in some other; and we shall thus always, 

 probably, with our rapid modes of intercommunication, be secure 

 from the evils of famine. It may be remarked here, in a gene- 

 ral way, that notwithstanding the supply of fruit is nearly doubled 

 each year, it is not yet equal to the demand; and this will without 

 doubt continue to be the case till the taste for choice fruit has 

 become prevalent among all classes of people, or rather perhaps 

 till fruit has become so abundant and cheap that all classes can 

 afford to use it freely. Your committee are of opinion that the 

 Institute should give proper encouragement to monthly exhibitions 

 of fruit and flowers, by which means the best kinds in their seasons 

 would be presented to the public for examination, and their taste 

 and knowledge thus improved, while at the same time the grower 

 would be benefited to an equal extent in a pecuniary point of view. 

 The lienefit to the Institute Avould be quite as great as to either of 

 the other parties, since it would keep it more constantly before the 

 public and thus popularize it, and that would seem to be an end 

 very much to be wished. 



It may be remai'ked here, that grape culture has already got 

 to be one of the largest and most remunerative departments of fruit 



