©ST. 44 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
655 
of improved care and taste in the putting-up of 
the blitter for market, small packages prevail¬ 
ing, and the Kennerson butter stamp (illus¬ 
trated in the Rural some time since), seemed 
quite generally in use. A number of the ex¬ 
hibits were from creameries, the number of 
which in the State is rapidly increasing. The 
low prices and Wes tern competition have not 
been without some compensating advantages 
to the Vermont dairymen, by stimulating care 
in manufacture and neatness of manipulation 
iu the dairy, and now that prices have taken a 
start, a much better feeling is manifest among 
the cow keepers iu the State. 
The implement show was very extensive, the 
chief novelty being Kemp’s manure cart and 
spreader, which does excellent work with all 
kiudsof manure, distributing it rapidly, evenly, 
and at the rate of any desired number of loads 
to the acre. All the principal mowers and 
harvesters were well represented, as well as 
rakes and tedders. Tillage tools of every sort, 
including the newest patterns of plows, har¬ 
rows and cultivators, were spread out before 
the people. 
The Hall shows were excellent, but in the 
way of vegetables, grain and fruit, not very 
extensive. The floral exhibit, though mostly 
by amateurs, was remarkably line and quite 
large, showing, as I think, the influence of 
such papers as the Rural in stimulating taste 
and developing horticultural skill among the 
people. One lady exhibitor had 95 varieties 
of blooming plants, another 365 varieties 
grown from Vick’s seeds, still another 30,500 
cut flowers; while bouquets, baskets and floral 
designs in groat numbers, and displaying ex¬ 
cellent taste, as a rule, occupied the extensive 
tables. It should be remarked that these 
exhibitors were not persons of wealth, employ¬ 
ing professional gardeners, but the wives and 
daughters of plain farmers, with no horticul¬ 
tural knowledge other than what they have 
gained by reading and practice. It was to me 
the most gratifying part of the whole show. 
The display of apples, pears, plums and grapes, 
though not large, was choice, aud showed the 
Improvements going an iu the development of 
new varieties specially suited to local exigen¬ 
cies, particularly in the colder parts of the 
State. Comparatively small as this portion of 
the show was, it over-run tire space allotted to 
it, thus indicating a decided advance. If we 
could have the advantage of a pomologieal 
organisation exhibiting simultaneously with 
other hranchesat the State fair, Vermont fruit¬ 
growers could easily till a very large hall with 
their choice specimens, and astonish many with 
her resources as a fruit-growiug State. u. 
MONTREAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
[Special Correspondence.] 
This organization hold its annual exhibition 
at the Victoria Skating Rink, Montreal, Sept, 
lft, 17 and IS. The attendance was very large, 
this society being one of Llio few iu America 
that seem able to command the attention and 
patronage of the public. Part of this is to the 
credit of the people of the Canadian Metropolis, 
greatly noted for their love of horticulture; 
aud perhaps still more is due to the skill aud 
energy of the management. The president of 
the Society, B. P. Cheney, Esq., whose exten¬ 
sive operations in wheat growing on the line 
of the Northern Pacific li, R., have been the 
subject of much comment in the agricultural 
press, is also equally aujmt in the line of hor¬ 
ticulture. Mr. Cheney is the principal owner 
of the America aud Canada Express, and his 
ample means enable him to gratify his tastes, 
both for farming and gardening, to their full 
extent. He has also taken great interest iu 
the development of practical fruit-growing in 
the Province, which has been largely increased 
by the facilities ho has provided tor the rapid 
transportation aud delivery of those products 
in market. His Compauy deliver strawberries 
at Montreal during the bight of the season at 
the rate of twouty tons a day, aud nearly the 
whole of this trade has been developed under 
the stimulus of the opportunity ottered to 
growers by one who is in sympathy with their 
efforts, while at the same time he is able thus 
to aid them. I chronicle this fact as an illus¬ 
tration of how easy it is for the right man iu 
the right place to greatly help the industrial 
progress of a community in which he resides. 
Ml-. Cheney is a native of New Hampshire, but 
for many years a resident of Montreal, which 
is the natural center of his great business. 
The floral display mi this fair was not only 
large, but very choice, being enriched by the 
contiibutious of the many wealthy amateurs 
of the city, whose conservatories, vineries aud 
orchard houses were laid under contribution 
for things rich and rare. Added to this, many 
commercial florists, gardeners and orclmrdists, 
made liberal additions to the display, and 
amateurs of less means, but perhaps of equal 
skill and taste, vied with the richer exhibitors, 
and in specialties sometimes surpassed them. 
But tine as was the show of flowers, orna¬ 
mental aud (lowering plants, it was not so in¬ 
teresting as the display of fruits. Plums, pears 
aud grapes were iu great abundance, mostly, 
however, the growth of city gardens. In the 
country, outside of the island of Montreal, the 
success experienced in the culture of these 
fruits is but moderate, though it is increasing 
gradually, as hardy varieties are introduced 
and more skill acquired in management. 
The greatest gain was in the apples, and it 
is a noteworthy fact that the first prize for a 
county collection went, this year, to one of 
the colder counties. Heretofore Huntingdon 
county, which borders on Lake Ontario, and 
lias the mildest climate of any county in the 
Province, has taken the first premium in this 
contest. But this year it went to the county 
of Trouvillo, among the mountains near the 
Vermont border, oue of the severest localities 
contesting this prize. The class of apples 
from this county was quite different from 
those grown in Huntingdon, embracing more 
of the native Canadian varieties, with some 
Russian aud new Northwestern sorts. But in 
an impartial contest, they took the lead for 
size, fairness aud beauty. This is most en¬ 
couraging; for it establishes the fact that 
apples of good and merchantable sorts can be 
successfully grown in districts hitherto thought 
to be too cold for orcharding. 
Among the uewer sorts that attracted the 
attention of fruit growers were a number of 
flue plates of the new Minnesota seedling, the 
“Wealthy,” which for size, high color, perfect 
form and fairness surpassed all expectation. 
The tree is perfectly hardy, bears young and 
abundantly, and though the fruit can only be 
classed as early winter, it must be considered 
a great acquisition in cold localities. It was 
feared that it would fall is size when brought 
East, but the specimens shown were fully up 
to tlie average, of Baldwins. Another new 
apple, the Canada Baldwin, an apple of the 
Famous© type hut a long keeper, bids fair to 
prove very valuable, especially on heavy soils, 
where it proves hardy aud a great bearer. 
The quality of this apple is very good, but the 
size not much above medium. What is still 
sought for by the orchardists of Lower Cauada, 
is a large apple of flue color, high quality and a 
good keeper, aud at the same time suflioiently 
productive for profit. Such a fruit would be 
most valuable for exportation. The home 
market is so limited that there is danger of 
over-production, unless a staudard exportable 
fruit can be grown. T. n. u. 
Orleans Co., Vt. 
PisreHattfiras. 
A TRIP TO BOSTON AND ITS SIGHTS. 
The City Hall and Common. 
WiTn the special object of visiting the an- I 
nual exhibition of the Massachusetts Llorticul- j 
tural Society, and at the same time with the 
intention of improving the opportunity to 
visit some of the place? in the vigiuity of in¬ 
terest to a young horticulturist, I set out for 
the City of Notions, which, according to Dr. 
Holmes, is the “Hub of the Solar System.” 
Reaching my destination about the middle of 
the afteruoon of the 8th of September, by way 
of the Fitchburg road, a few minutes’ walk 
took rue to the State House, which stands on 
the highest spot of ground in the city. From 
its cupola windows I obtained a magnificent 
view of the city and harbor. In the maiu hall 
may be seen the remnants of the flags carried 
by Massachusetts soldiers in the late war, and 
the guns carried by the Concord minute-men 
in the war of independence. Not far from the 
State House is the Common, the pride of Bos¬ 
ton, with its hundreds of stately Elms aud 
broad, pleasant walks, and the Public Garden 
which is exquisitely laid out aud contains 
about twenty-live acres. Near the center is 
an irregular lakelet of water, which is crossed 
by a substantial iron bridge, and contains an 
island with a pretty vine-clad summer-house. 
The stretches of green, velvet} lawns, dotted 
and bordered with beds of flowers, are looking 
especially beautiful at this season. There are 
many fine specimens of the ribbon or carpet 
style of planting, the plants most nsed for the 
purpose being Coleus Verschaffeltii, Gera¬ 
niums and Ceutuureits, and some large bedB 
arc planted thickly with huudreds of Gladioli, 
Japan Lilies aud Tuberoses, the latter filling 
the air with their fragrance in the evening. 
The next morning I was up bright and early 
and spent an hour or two in and about Quincy 
market. Those who have never visited the 
markets of a large city, can form but a faint 
idea of the immense quantity of provisions 
required for the use of its inhabitants. Ills 
difltdnb. for a countryman to realize that the 
thotyiude of bushels of fruit and vegetables 
and quantities of meat and fish brought in, go 
dowu the throats of Bostonians in a single day. 
After seeing the markets I visited the celebra¬ 
ted pear orchard of Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, 
reached by a pleasant half hours' ride through 
the rural-looking Dorchester district. Dor¬ 
chester is the home o? many of Boston's 
wealthy business-men, and elegant residences 
surrounded by beautiful grounds are common, 
but some show the effect of the hard times by 
the advertisement, •* This Estate for Sale,” 
frequently seen. 
The Pear Orchard of Col. Wilder 
is said to be the fiuest experimental orchard of 
the kind iu the country. It covers about 
twelve acres of ground and once contained 
nearly a thousand varieties which are now 
reduced, from one cause and another, to be¬ 
tween eight and nine hundred. Nearly every 
tree is bearing fruit this year, a great many 
are loaded down almost to breaking, aud the 
crop is estimated at not less than 3,000 bushels. 
The soil is a heavy sandy loam and is plowed 
and kept clean by cultivation, crops of small 
fruits and vegetables being grown between the 
trees, which are from ten to fifteen feet apart, 
too near it is thought. As fast as the fruit is 
picked, it is carried to the fruit-house and 
placed iu a cool room in the basement to ripen, 
and, when iu the proper condition, is sorted, 
packed in boxes, bolding a bushel each, and 
marketed. About thirty bushels of fine-look¬ 
ing (aud tasting) Doyenne BoussOcks were 
nearly ready fur boxing. The Bartlett is the 
most popular sort, no other selling well when 
that is in market. On the lawns about the 
residence are mauy fine ornamental trees, 
among them a large aud beautiful specimen 
of Cut-leaved Birch, which Col. Wilder thinks 
highly of as a lawn tree. I was kindly showed 
about the place by a son of the proprietor, to 
whom I am indebted for most of the above 
information. 
In the afteruoon a three-mile ride from Bow- 
doiu Square in a horse-car marked “Garden 
Street,” carried me near the entrance to the 
Cambridge Uotailtc Gardens, 
which are fittingly called the Paradise of 
botanists. About 3.000 species of hardy plants 
are cultivated iu the gardens and 3,000 species 
of tender plants in the greenhouse, aud a stu¬ 
dent of botany can here gain a better knowl¬ 
edge of the flora of the world than could be 
obtained from books by months of study. The 
plants are plainly labeled and classified as far 
as possible, and Mr. Falconer keeps every¬ 
thing iu most excellent trim. The most con¬ 
spicuous plants now iu flower arc the numer¬ 
ous species of Solidago (Golden Rod), aud 
Helianthus (Sunflower), with their wealih of 
golden flowers, and the Asters, many of whieh 
are well worthy of culture iu private gardens. 
Planted among rocks and trees on one side of 
the gardeu, so as to give them the conditions 
of their native homes, arc the hardy orchids 
and 'spring-blooming plauts and bulbs. Se¬ 
cluded from the main part of the garden by 
the Willows which cover its grassy banks, Is a 
small pond filled with a great variety of aqua¬ 
tic plants. But to mention even a small part 
of the interesting things to be seen here, would 
be too great a task; but 1 must not forget the 
bed of Cacti planted out in front of the green¬ 
house, containing, 1 should think, a hundred 
species at least, aud all looking us green and 
healthy as though growing in their native 
climes ; nor the line specimen of that beauti¬ 
ful overgreeu tree, Abies Menziesii. This tree 
is a native of the Rocky Mountains, is perfect¬ 
ly hardy, aud the foliage is of a steel-blue 
color, contrasting finely with the deep green 
of the lawn, all of which should make it oue 
of the most popular of evergreens. 
Exhibition of I lie Ainu*. Hort. Society. 
The Mass. Horticultural Society, which has 
done so much for the encouragement of horti¬ 
cultural taste, celebrated its Semi-Centennial 
Anniversary on Sept. 9 r 10, 11 and 13, by hold¬ 
ing one of the best exhibitions ever held by it, 
fully sustaining Us reputation of siauding at 
the head of horticultural Societies. Among 
fruits the pear took the lead this year, nearly 
600 plates having been on the tables; all the 
leading varieties aud many that arc uuknown 
outside of large collections, being represented. 
It was too early iu the season for most varie¬ 
ties to show to the best advantage. Souvenir 
du Congres aud Bourn- Clairgoau were par¬ 
ticularly noticeable for large size aud fine 
appearance. A plate of medium-sized Flemish 
Beauties was exhibited by Win. Currier, of 
West Gloucester, whieh were grown on a 
graft put iuto au apple tree 35 years ago; and 
cuttings of both graft and stock were also ex¬ 
hibited to show that the tree is still vigorous. 
The exhibit of apples was small in quantity, 
but some flue specimens were showu. Though 
early for Grapes, the display of both native and 
foreign sorts was good. There was a small 
but choice collection of peaches and plums, and 
some luscious-looking Early Crawfords meas¬ 
uring three inches iu diameter by the rule. 
The display of plants aud flowers in both 
quantity aud variety was said by good judges 
to be the best ever made, Hovey & Co., Wm. 
Gray, Jr., H. H. HuducwcU aud 8. li. Paysou 
being the largest exhibitors. The first prize 
for the best specimen plant was awarded to 
Mr. Huunewoll for Sphenogyne Iatifolia, and 
also first “tor the best spoeiumu plant not 
offered in any other collection." Anuuiriutu 
crystallinum, a magnificent plant with thick, 
dark-green, velvety leaves, about two feet long 
aud half as wide, having large greenish-white 
veins, attracted the admiration of all. Among 
many other rare and beautiful plants that 
were much admired were Ficus Parecllii; 
Croton pictum, C. interruptum aud Wisemanii • 
Agave Sehidigera, Phyllouenuun Lindenii and 
Alocasia melalliea. There were fine specimens 
of the newer varieties of Coleus, and collec¬ 
tions of large and well-grown specimens of 
fancy Caludiume. Mr. Carl Schaeffer exhib¬ 
ited fourtecu varieties of Tuberous Begonias 
selected from 150 seedlings, some of which sur¬ 
passed the named sorts. Palms and Ferns 
were shown in great variety. The exhibit of 
Gladioli, cut-flowers and bouquets was good. 
The display of vegetables was very large and 
of great variety. The tomatoes were especial¬ 
ly noticeable, the show consisting of about 
forty plates of the leading varieties, and I uoted 
that the Acme received the first prize as the 
best variety for which a premium was not 
offered in the schedule. 
