Transactions and Proceedings

REPORT

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON FRUITS,

FOR THE YEAR 1895.

By E. W. WOOD, CHAIRMAN.

There was less injury to fruit-bearing trees, canes, and vines during the winter of 1894-5 than the average in past years; the extremes of temperature were less, and the ground was more continuously covered with snow, some of the snow falling in November remaining on the ground until after the middle of March.

Several exceptionally warm days in early spring pushed forward the fruit buds, and being followed later by frosts, strawberries and grapes were severely injured, in many places the earlier varieties proving a total failure. The season was favorable for the growth of fruit; while the rainfall was not up to the average it was so evenly distributed that there was less injury from drought than in many of the other States.

It being the off year for Apples the exhibitions of that fruit, especially the late varieties, have not compared favorably with those of the previous years and where the trees were not properly cared for and sprayed, the fruit was so wormy and knurled as.to be of little value. Of Pears there has been an average crop and some fine specimens were shown at the exhibitions. There has been little complaint of the blight among the growers the past

season and the pear continues to be less subject to injury from insect pests than most of our fruits.

The Peach crop, the past season, has been the largest for many years; the fruit buds were not so badly killed during the winter as in previous seasons, and there have been good exhibitions of this fruit. Cherries have been shown in less quantity than usual because of late frosts in some localities and rain at the time of ripening. There have been fair exhibits of Plums and the recent introduction of Japanese varieties has caused an increased interest in the cultivation of this fruit. There are several varieties of good quality that seem well adapted to our soil and climate; they are being tested and we shall ere long be able to speak more definitely of their practical value.

The fungous and insect enemies of fruit, where undisturbed, have done the usual amount of injury, but further experience seems to prove that the damage from these pests may be prevented or very much reduced by careful and systematic spraying. The tent caterpillar has not been as numerous as in recent years but the canker worm in some localities destroyed all prospects of a crop, and the ever present codling moth was as numerous as in any previous year, and as the crop of fruit was small a larger proportion than usual bore evidence of his destructive work.

There have been few new fruits shown the past year requiring special mention. The Alice grape, a white variety, from Ward D. Gunn, of Cliftondale, N. Y., was deemed of so much promise that the Committee awarded a First Class Certificate of Merit to the originator. Liberal prizes have been offered by Ex-President Strong the past two years for varieties of Strawberries not previously exhibited, but the competition has not shown anything having as many points of excellence as varieties already in general cultivation. Of recent introductions, the Mackintosh Apple is promising; it is of good quality, bright red in color, slightly below medium size, and an excellent fruit for the table. At the Annual Exhibition, October 2 and 3, William C. Clapp, of Dorchester, showed the seedling pear Harris, which was then in perfect condition. It was of medium size and excellent quality and seemed to the Committee worthy of cultivation. The Marshall Strawberry easily took the lead as an exhibition berry, and its large size, good quality, and perfect form and color recommend it for the amateur, but the plants having been sold in

limited quantities until the past season it is impossible to speak positively of its merits for field culture until the close of next

season.

The Committee have awarded in premiums and gratuities $1,528, leaving an unexpended balance of $272.