No. 199] 281 



OHIO. 



REPORT OF A. McINTOSH. 



To A. J. Downing, Esq., 



Chairman of General Fruit Committee. 



In consequence of the general failure of the fruit crop this year 

 throughout the State, but little opportunity has presented for carrying 

 out the views of the Congress. It was the intention of our commit- 

 tee to have met during the season at different places in the State, for 

 the purpose of examining, comparing and testing the various fruits of 

 each locality, observing the character of the soil, system of cultira- 

 tion, process of manuring, mode of culture, &c. In any ordinary 

 season this course wonld have ensured the collection of many valua- 

 ble statistics. It is hoped that another year will supply this deside- 

 ratum, and enable the committee to lay before Congress whatever 

 interesting evidence can be drawn from the productions of our fertile 

 soil and genial climate, as well as from the experience of our many 

 intelligent, practical horticulturists. Owing to this unprecedented 

 scarcity of fruit, the exhibitions of our local societies have been less 

 interesting than usual, and the committee do not deem it advisable to 

 attempt a general report for the State. They will await another 

 year's experiment before proceeding to pass judgment on the many 

 inferior or worthless kinds of fruit that are still extensively cul- 

 tivated. 



In the tables and remarks that follow, the responsibility for accuracy 

 rests with the undersigned alone, and his opinions are based on care- 

 ful observation and actual experience in northern Ohio, and may not 

 be applicable to all sections of the State. It is, however, proper to 

 remark, that these views are approved of by the distinguished and in- 

 telligent officers and members of the Cleveland Horticultural Society. 



I proceed to classify, in the manner recommended by you, certain 

 varieties of fruit, omitting all such as seem to require farther time 

 and testing, to determine their proper merit : 



