ofe. Elliot 7t\ emorial ,* ,. 777T. .,..... ■! ,, .» n ul ». u .» ■ ^. If n is % Presented by MRS. M. SCHUYLER ELLIOT. ) cta. I think they originated with Jewell. Some ten have borne, four or five of which are fine eating apples, which ripen in September. But Whitney's No. 20 is certainly the finest and most rapid growing tree I ever saw. The fruit is represented to be very superior. Brier Sweet does well and the fruit is very fine. Pears. — The Flemish Beauty is all we think of here. Those trees which stood the cold winter bore well the past year. Plums, tame and wild, were a total failure from the effects of the frosts last spring. Cherries. — The Early Richmond, common Red Morello and Kent- ish bore a larger crop than any for the last eight years. Annual Meeting — Report of Secretary. Ill Grapes are much neglected, and even ignored, as not one farmer in a hundred will listen or try to learn how to cultivate them, which I think as easy as hop culture. For varieties, I con- sider the Concord first for productiveness. I gathered nineteen pounds from one vine in 1877; last year only thirteen or fourteen pounds from a hill. Next, the Janesville produces well and comes into market first, making them very salable, though last spring the frost killed the first buds of the Janesville, while the other varieties escaped. For quality of fruit, I deem Roger's No. 9 and the Del- aware first; then comes Salem, Roger's Nos. 5, 15 and 19. The amount of grapes cultivated in this district is limited to small lots near the towns alone* the Fox river. I have about one acre set. **-> Small Fruits. — Strawberries — The Wilson is the leading variety, though few are raised for sale. Raspberries occupy an important part in most of our gardens for home consumption. The Mammoth Cluster leads, but Philadelphia Red and Purple Cane do well. Blackberries — But few are grown, mostly the Ancient Britain, A\hich endure the winter best. The amount of tree planting in this district is increasing in spite of hard times. Since the cold winter, trees have lived and •flourished better than before. The spring frost killed most of the apple and crab blos'soms, or fruit sets, north and west of us. We had no fire blight on pear, apple or crab, and but a small amount of codling- moth. o SEVENTH DISTRICT D. HUNTLEY, ATPLETON. Counties. — Outagamie, Shavmno and Waupaca. In my last report I stated that the winter had been favorable, and that we were expecting a good fruit season. But the hard winter is not the only enemy the fruit trees have to contend with. The apple trees blossomed very full, but were injured somewhat by a frost about that time or a little later. Still, I think there would have been as many left uninjured as the trees could have matured perfectly, or without injury from over-bearing; but as the apples began to appear, the trees were found to be infested with worms just hatching, and although we commenced killing immedi- ately, or as soon as discovered, still they continued to increase, and it soon became evident that the whole time must be given to the 8 — Hort. So. 112 "Wisconsin State Horticultueal Society. orchard in killing worms, or the apple crop would be a failure. Myself, with many others, devoted what time could be spared evenings, mornings, noonings, and occasionally an hour or two at other times, and still the worms increased; the result was about one-half or one-third of a crop on some of the best trees, and a total failure on others; perhaps one-fourth or one-fifth of a crop in all. In destroying the worms some adopted one plan and some another; using kerosene, soap suds, hot water, powder, burning with straw, etc., but the most successful method I heard of was killing by the hand, when clustered on limb or trunk of the tree. Many of our forest trees were perfectly stripped of leaves, espe- cially the basswood, which greatly diminished the yield of honey. Many of the twigs are now encircled with eggs, and I think they should all be destroyed before the hatching season commences. The last summer was a favorable one for the growth of young trees, and many more will be set the coming spring than for sev- eral years before; in fact the tree peddler is abroad, and making a specialty of some wonderful things, such as " pear trees grown on German stocks," at twelve dollars per dozen, which "are much more hardy than the hardiest iron clads and twice as profitable." Is it not strange that farmers do not buy direct from some well known nurseryman of their own state, or of responsible local agents. The old proved varieties are still the most in favor with the more intelligent. Of the new, the Tetofsky is looking the best of any. The Wealthy has not been fruited here yet. The Wal- bridge and Pewaukee do not meet the expectation, and will be set very sparingly in the future. The Ben Davis is such a nice grower and good bearer and keeper that more will be set in future than anv other new varietv, though we do not class it with the extra hardy. Cherries were a full crop, and also strawberries. The Wilson is the berry. Grapes were also a good crop; no mildew, or if it ap- pears, is immediately checked by the use of sulphur. Plums and pears not seen at all of late. No blight during last summer in this vicinity. The question is often asked among well informed fruit men, what is your best winter apple, all things considered, none being just satisfied with any that are hardy? The Golden Russet wilts badly, does not always ripen nicely, and is not good cooking. The Fameuse is the best, all things considered, and if picked early Annual Meeting — Report of Secretary 113 and carefully barreled, will last till nearly spring. It is as hardy as any except, perhaps, the Duchess. The crabs are hardy, of course, but we must have something better. I fruited two trees of the Minkler this season which are very nice. "Will report further next season. NINTH DISTRICT A. J. PHILLIPS, WEST SALEM. Counties. — La Crosse, Trempealeau, Jackson, Buffalo, and val- leys of Chippewa and St. Croix. This is hardly deserving the name it bears, as it is hardly a township report. Were reports made out by some qualified person in each county, they would be made more accurate and interesting. The prospect last spring, so far as I know and can hear in this district, was good for a fine crop of fruit, but a frost in May, after apples were formed on the trees, froze them up, and only in some high locations was there any left. With the exception of a few plates, my apples were the only ones on exhibition at the fair in La Crosse county. This state of things was general over the district, as far as I have been able to learn. Some trees were bought and set last spring, but the sales this fall have been very light, owing perhaps to the hard times and the low price of farm produce as much as to the failure and de- struction of the apple crop. Wild plums, too, were almost a total failure. The most exten- sive orchardist in this district, to my knowledge, was the late F. Fleischer, of La Crosse, who died last fall; he had some five thou- sand trees of many varieties set in his orchard, and Mr. Wilcox in- forms me that, as a general thing, the trees look well. He was located on a bluff and in a valley, near the city of La Crosse. His health failing in the editorial room, he commenced horticultural pursuits to obtain more out door exercise, but he did not com- mence soon enough; his disease was so seated that his new and pleasant occupation could not arrest it. There is also a vacant chair across the river from this district; P. A. Jewell has passed away, like many others, just as he was placed in a comfortable position to live, and just as he was beginning to see his hopes real- ized in the fruiting of new varieties, which he thought were espe- cially adapted to the northwest. Peace to his ashes! I think of him when I look at my fine Wealthy trees, which he sent me in the spring of 1875, and which fruited for the first time the past season. 114 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. Clark's Orange and Pewaukee bore some fine fruit the past season, in my orchard, also the No. 20 crab, which, when I tasted the fruit, made me glad that I ever formed the acquaintance of our friend Whitney. The Minnesota fruited, but not enough to give it a favorable report at this time. Our veteran friend Wilcox has moved or is moving his nursery from Trempealeau to La Crosse, showing by his actions that he has faith in high locations; hope he will succeed. I tried to have him come to this meeting, and if he had, I would have tried to have saddled this report on to him, as he is much better posted in the district than I am. I had a good crop, say fifty bushels, of Transcendents, and a fair crop of standard apples the past season; saved, no doubt, from frost by the high location. The greatest treat I have enjoyed the past season was a visit from friend Stickney. He gave me some en- couragement, and on his recommendation I will set fifty more pear trees next spring, Kellogg to the contrary notwithstanding. Mr. Wilcox visited my orchard, also Mr. Mathews, of the Northwestern nursery, at Baraboo. I believe this constitutes all the nurserymen I have seen on my grounds, and none of them advised me to stop, so I will try it another year. I find that a person engaged in hor- ticultural employments is always learning something new, especially if he or she are trying to inform themselves. I found out some- thing this winter that was new to me, and I will give the public the benefit of it, but don't want much said about it. A farmer in my town said to me: "Are you going to buy any trees for your neighbors this spring?" I said, "Yes, if they want them." " Well," he said, " I will give you three dollars for six good Bald- win trees; I bought a barrel of that fruit last fall, and I like it, as it is better than any apple I ever raised." I said, " I fear it is not hardy enough." He said, "yes it is;" and said he, " T have found out the whole secret of this business; nurserymen, knowing the value of the fruit, do not sell the trees broadcast over the country, but confine their sales near home, to their particular friends, thereby monopolizing the trade in that fruit." Being somewhat acquainted with a few nurserymen, the story looked so reasonable that I did not dispute him, and as he did not place me under bonds of secrecy, I tell it. From what information I can gather and what I have seen, trees went into winter in good shape, and everything looks favorable for Annual Meeting — Report of Secretary. 115 a fair crop in 1879. The thermometer has only been down to twenty-four degrees, at my place, but the present and continuing warm weather may start the trees too early. The only way is to hope for the best. ELEVENTH DISTRICT C. W. HUMPHREY, MITCHELL. Counties — Sheboygan, Calumet and Manitowoc, Had I been requested to make a report on fruit five or six years ago, I should have been as ready to tell you what I knew about fruit as the late Mr. Greeley was to tell " what he knew about farming." But times have changed, and men often change with them. There was a time when I thought I knew a great deal about fruit (apples), but recent developments have satisfied me that I don't know much about this subject. Once, without reserve, I should have been willing to give a good deal of advice, but now I can only slightly record my observations and my experience. In the first place, I live upon oak land, the native timber of which is white and red oak, with a good deal of hickory, iron wood, black cherry and, in fact, a good sprinkling of all kinds of timber. The soil is common to that kind of timber, and is what I call a light clay, or marl, of a calcareous nature, partaking some of sand and gravel, with a tenacious red clay and limestone, gravelly subsoil. From my observations fruit trees do as well, or better, on this kind of soil than on any other with which I am acquainted. It is said we often learn as much by a failure as a success. So we do. And knowledge thus acquired is often more expensive and lasting than successful knowledge. Thirty-one years ago last fall I set a few apple trees on the farm where I now live. Many of them are good, thrifty trees to-day. The English Golden Russet, the Russet with light colored speckled wood, and the Westfield Seek- No-Further are thrifty, good bearing trees. One early Sour Bough bears good crops every other year. The balance of the few trees first set have long since gone the way of all the earth. I do not know what varieties they were. I once thought protection was essential to successful fruit grow- ing; then I thought it was not; but now again I think it is. But on which side? that's the question. I would give, as my opinion, that the west, northwest and southwest are the points against which an apple orchard needs the most protection. Some of the best 116 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. orchards within my knowledge are fully exposed from the north- east, but the lands, also, on which the trees are planted descend considerably in the same direction, while the orchard sites are well protected from the southwest, and quite well from the west by natural barriers. These observations, coupled with my own expe- rience in my two orchards, lead me to think that western and south- western protection are the most effectual. My old orchard is quite well protected on the southwest and west by the site descending gently to the east, and also by the fences, building and natural shrubbery, which is not a little, about the house, while my young orchard, which was set when I thought I knew a thing or two, and fully exposed from the southwest and west, has nearly died out again and again; for it has been reset, some parts of it, as many as three times, and with most of the iron- clads at that. I should say, however, that one little corner of about a dozen trees, where the land descends a trifle to the northeast, the trees are all doing well. These trees are the Talman Sweet, Haas, and Westfield Seek-No-Further. Now for the old orchard. Here the trees are doing reasonably well. Still, the Fameuse that were set in the spring of 1862, all or nearly all have dead spots on the southwest side of the body, extending as much as half way round the trunk. These trees are all so low headed that the ends of the lower limbs lay upon the ground during the fruiting season. The St. Lawrence, fifteen in number, are all doing well, bearing each alternate year heavy crops of very fine fruit. The Benoni is thrifty and bears full crops. The Dominie is a very flattering grower but a very shy bearer. The fruit is excellent. The Rambo did well for about ten years, when it rapidly declined ; ditto the Keswick Codlin. The Colvert is healthy and a regular but moderate bearer. The Red Astrachan and Sops of Wine are good strong growers, and regular bearers, and produce yearly, remunerative crops. The Little Red Romanite is worthless as a fruit. It is well adapted for the boys to stone squirrels and hogs with, for nothing will eat the fruit. I have not grown the Tetofsky long enough to pronounce on its merits; so also of the Haas and Ben Davis. From my experience and observation, I would not recommend planting the latter in this locality. Some of the best trees among the old ones about here, are the Northern Spy, but I think their long life is generally traced Annual Meeting — Report of Secretary. 117 to the fact that they have stood in grass. The Yellow Bell Flower is a moderate grower and a tardy bearer. I have grown more bush- els of the Fameuse from the same number of trees than I have single apples of this variety, both trees planted at the same time, and both receiving the same care. The fruit is not fair. From my experience and observation, if I were called upon to select a list of apple trees to be planted in this locality, I would choose the following, to wit: Red Astrachan, Sops of Wine, St. Lawrence, Benoni, Fameuse, Dominie, Talman Sweet, Seek-No- Further, and English Golden Russet. I have set a good many pear trees, but they have all ended in failure and disappointment; only two remain as mementoes of my faith in this line. Several of them grew so as to bear fine fruit, flattering me only to disappoint. One Rositzer and one Flemish Beauty still maintain a precarious existence, the latter producing a little fruit each year. The common red, or sour, or Morello Cherry does well here, and bears regularly fair crops. Farmers have long since ceased setting any other. Plums are "Nix-come-rouse;" but very few in the county. But little or no attention is given to grapes, raspberries and blackberries. Strawberries are successfully cultivated in several localities as a market fruit. Of currants, all can have them in abundance, by a little effort. In this report I have not told you anything I don't know, and not much that I do. I regret I can't be with you, and hope your meet- ing will be both amusing and instructive. TWELFTH DISTRICT J. M. SMITH, GREEN BAY. Counties — Brown, Kewaunee, Door and Oconto. — My report from this district this season will be very short. It really seems as if the long night of discouragement in apple and pear growing in this portion of our state is about ended. People no longer pur- chase indiscriminately of any one who comes along, as they did twenty years since, neither do they refuse absolutely to purchase of any one, as they have generally done for a number of years past. A few of our standard trees when well set, on reasonably good loca- tions, and properly cared for, bid fair to become profitable. In fact, a few of them are already so. The crops of apples, pears, 118 "Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. cberries, currants, strawberries, raspberries and wild blackberries were all good; the grape crop only moderate. Of apples, the Duchess holds its own at the head of the list, for a fall apple; Fameuse for early winter. If I were so situated that I could set an orchard of one thousand trees, I should surely make more than half of them Fameuse. The balance would be divided among very few varieties. Some Walbridge trees set lately in this district promise splendidly. I know of none in bearing about here. A few pear trees are also being set, principally of the Flemish Beauty. But very few strawberries are seen in our market except the Wilson. Of raspberries, the Doolittle, Miami and Phil- adelphia lead all others. No blackberries are cultivated about here. Currants, with reasonably good care, have not failed of a crop for more than twenty years. The red and white Dutch are the principal ones in cultivation. But few new varieties of grapes have been tried lately. A num- ber of those now under cultivation are doing so well wherever they have a fair chance, that it seems as if every farmer ought to be well supplied with this delicious fruit. Still such is not the case. In fact, but few of them have a reasonable supply of them. Dela- ware, Concord, Janesville, Rogers' Nos. 3, 4, 9, 15, 19 and some others, all do well. In fact, although we are yet in our infancy in fruit growing, I am satisfied that the time is coming, and I hope is not very far in the future, when this district will have an abun- dant supply of fruit, not only for home use, but for others in loca- tions not so well situated as ourselves for this purpose. Treasurer's Report. — The following communication was re- ceived from the treasurer: To the officers of the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society: Your treasurer wishes to report that the receipts and disburse- ments of the society for the past year have been as follows: 1878. Br. Or. Feb. 5. By balance $13119 Feb. 15. By cash from F. W Case, membership 29 00 Feb. 15. To voucher No. 100 $100 00 May 11 . To check to F. W. Case, postage 7 00 May 11 . By cash from F. W. Case, membership 3 00 June 3. To voucher No. 101, postage 10 00 Annual Meeting — Superintendent's Report. 119 1879. Dr. Cr. Feb. 4. To voucher No 102, printing $5 25 Feb. 4. Bymembership $5 00 Feb. 4. Balance 45 94 Total $168 19 $168 19 Respectfully submitted, Matt. Anderson, Treasurer. On motion, the report of the treasurer was accepted and adopted. The report of the superintendent at the fair was called for, and read as follows: EXHIBITION IN THE HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT AT THE STATE FAIR OF 1878. REPORT of the superintendent. Gentlemen of the State Horticultural Society: As the time for our exhibition drew near, great apprehension was felt by your superintendent, and many others, least the display of fruit should be very far from satisfactory. The remarkably fine promise of the early part of the season had been seriously blighted by hard frosts in May and the series of cold winds and storms that followed, and was still further impaired by extremes of heat in midsummer and excess of rain in the interior portion of the state, and severe droughts on the lake shore. With these facts in view, the out- look was rather discouraging, and this was intensified by the as- surance of the other officers of the fair that " our display would be a failure;" that " we would not need one-quarter of the hall as- signed us, and that we would be lost in such a large building." Urged on by our own fears and a desire to prove these prophecies false, extra efforts were made to draw out, at least, a creditable display of fruit and flowers. The appeals to our horticultural friends were well responded to, and the result was a happy disap- pointment to all. Our hall, 40 by 90 teet, was well filled; so well, in fact, that many of the exhibits were crowded into so small spaces, as not to show to advantage. It was frequently remarked by those passing through, that " the display was the finest on the ground," " better than it had ever been before." One noticeable feature of the exhibition was that some of our 120 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. oldest and best fruit growers were not represented in their usual places, as the accidents peculiar to the season had borne heavily upon them, but the extra efforts of others more than made up the deficiency. Two thousand plates were provided for the occasion, but this was not sufficient, and many collections were grouped on the tables alone. It is perhaps invidious to speak of individuals where all did so well, and should receive credit for their efforts; yet it is but just to speak of the fine display of apples shown by friends Peffer, Plumb, Kellogg and Palmer, among the professional cultivators, most of whom had on exhibition many varieties not entered for competition; also of Messrs, Phillips, Jeffreys, Lewis, Taylor, Willson, Martin, Sherman and Boyce, among the non-profes- sionals. The early date at which the fair was held, sadly affected the show of grapes, but most of the leading grape growers were pres- ent, and in their exhibits, well represented the capabilities of this state to produce this luscious fruit in abundance and of extra quality. Another remarkable feature of the exhibition was the unusual display of pears, both in numbers, variety and quality. Many of these exhibits were from what is termed the lake shore belt, but there were quite a number of fine collections from the interior and even the western borders of the state. One of the finest collec- tions of pears ever exhibited at our fairs, was that brought from the well known pear orchard near Green Bay. While this does not make it advisable to recommend the extensive cultivation of the pear, it shows us that there is good reason to hope for success in this direction. The remarkably fine exhibition of fruit from the northern part of the state should be mentioned in this connection. Some of the finest fruit, and that too of varieties regarded as not sufficiently hardy to be cultivated in the southern part of the state, even in the most favorable locations, were here to be seen, mature in size and of a superior quality, grown to very near, if not beyond, the limits where successful fruit culture is generally regarded as prac- ticable. The exhibitions of friends Phillips from La Crosse county, and Reynolds from Brown county, demonstrate the capabilities of the northern portion of the state for raising fruit, and give encour- Annual Meeting — Superintendent's Report. 121 agement to hope that when we learn the requisite conditions of soil and location and the proper culture, a large portion of our state that now depends on others for their fruit, wdl find that it can be raised at home; for surely there are many places where the like conditions can be found and like results secured. We were also greeted with the sight of a number of plates of a fruit that in days past has formed a prominent part of our exhibi- tions, but which, alas! has long since been shamefully deserted and given up to the tender mercies of the curculio. There were also a few specimens of home grown peaches on the tables, fair to look upon, but " sour grapes " to the fruit growers of Wisconsin. The exhibition of plants and flowers was very creditable. Prom- inent among the exhibitors of flowers, we would mention Mrs. Boyce of Lodi, Mrs. Mallory of Waukesha, Mrs. Robt. Boyd of Evansville, Miss Leitch, the Mrs. Marston, Heistand, Joy and Pit- man of Madison, Mrs. Leitch of Dane and Miss Kate Peffer of Pewaukee. The display made by Mr. Wm. Kitzrow, professional florist of Milwaukee, is worthy of commendation. The collection was large in number of varieties and choice in quality. It contributed much to the attractiveness of the hall; without it the display of green- house plants would have been meagre. The number of entries fails to giving a correct idea of the extent of the exhibition, as many exhibits were duplicated and others were far in excess of the number required, and many articles were placed on exhibition which were not entered for competition. In the professional department, the number of entries made was 1G7; in the non-professional, 361. The amount of premiums paid to pro- fessional cultivators, was $251; to non-professional, $317; total $'568. Certain things that transpired in connection with the manage- ment of the department make a few suggestions, pertaining to needed regulations for the future, pertinent to this report. Many of you are aware that on the second day of the exhibition it became necessary to provide more table room to properly display the fruit. As all the other space was occupied to the fullest capacity, it was found necessary to close the side entrance to the hall. The result proved that the interests of two or three hucksters engaged in. 122 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. selling pop, peanuts and cigars, in coops at the outside of the en- trance were of vastly more importance than the comfort and con- venience of the exhibition within, and consequently, the tables had to be removed and the door opened. Further, in certain states of the weather and direction of the wind, it was desirable to have this entrance closed in order to protect the plants and flowers, and to promote the comfort of those within; but as this would interfere with vested rights, the inconvenience and discomfort had to be en- dured. It therefore seems desirable, that, if arrangements are to be made by the society to take charge of the horticultural depart- ment in the future, it should be specified that the society should have full control of the hall and its surroundings, as far as may be necessary for the proper management of the department. Another suggestion is, that by giving more force and prom- inence to some of the rules governing the exhibition, better satis- faction would be given, and there would be less friction in its man- agement. There seems to have been a gradual increase of laxity in the strict enforcement of the rules, whether owing to the sensi- tiveness of the judges, or the lack of proper attention on the part of the superintendent, it occasions much dissatisfaction to exhibit- ors, and is alike impolite and unjust. To specify particular points: the rule that the article exhibited must be entered in the name of the party who raised or made it, is very apt to be disregarded, and there is no doubt, that at every fair, there are instances where the exhibitor is the collector, rather than the producer of the articles entered in his name. A strict observance of this rule should be insisted upon. So also with relation to the rule specifying the time at which the articles must be in their place on the tables; the least departure from it is a fruitful source of complaint and hard feeling. The rules governing entries and arrangement of the general exhibition are made by the Agricultural Society, and there may be instances where they, for some cause, deviate from the strict enforcement of them, which may give dissatisfaction; this is beyond our control, but by strictly enforcing the rules, as far as may be in our power, we will do much to relieve the dissatisfaction often felt and expressed. I would in this connection suggest, that we would probably secure a better observance of the rules on the part of exhibitors, and also a more prompt enforcement of them by the judges and officers of the department, if the most important ones Annual Meeting — Premiums Awarded. 123 were briefly but plainly stated in the notes at the head of our de- partment list of premiums. There is generally much delay in securing the proper arrange- ment of the floral display at our fairs, which is, in part, owing to the amount of time required to do this work satisfactory, and also to the perishable nature of the flowers, and I would suggest the ad- visability of extending the time for the final arrangement of cut flow- ers on the tables. If it were possible to extend this time until Tuesday evening at 6 P. M., or even Wednesday morning 9 A. M., with the strict enforcement of the regulation that at that hour the books are to be placed in the hands of the judges, and no addition or change will be allowed to the exhibits then on the tables, we would give better satisfaction to the exhibitors, and make it much easier for the judges to pass upon the merits of the exhibits, as they would be in a much more perfect condition. These considera- tions are respectfully submitted. The following is the list of premiums awarded in the fruit and flower department: Premiums Awarded in the Fruit and Flower Department of State Fair of 1878: Fruit by Professional Cultivators. APPLES. Best display of varieties, not to exceed 30, L. L. Kellogg, Janesville. $10 00 Second best, Win. Reid, North Prairie 7 50 Third best, N. N. Palmer, Brodhead 5 00 Best ten varieties adapted to the Northwest, Geo. P. Peffer, Pewaukee 7 00 Second best, L. L. Kellogg 5 00 Third best, Wm. Reid 3 00 Best five varieties adapted to the Northwest, J. C. Plumb, Milton. . . 3 CO Second best, L. L. Kellogg 2 00 Third best, N. N. Palmer 1 00 Best variety of winter, not to exceed ten, Geo. P. Peffer. 5 00 Second best, L. L. Kellogg 3 00 Third best, Wm. Reid 2 00 Best five varieties of winter, J. C. Plumb 3 00 Second best, Geo. P. Peffer 2 00 Third best, L. L. Kellogg 1 00 Best ten varieties, large and showy, L. L. Kellogg 5 00 Second best, Wm. Reid , 3 00 Third best, N . N. Palmer 2 00 Largest apple, J. C. Plumb 1 00 Heaviest apple, J. C. Plumb , 1 00 124 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. PEARS. Best display of varieties, Geo. P. Peffer $3 00 Second best, Wm, Reid 2 00 Third best, N. N. Palmer 1 00 Best three varieties, Geo P. Pefl'er 2 00 Second best, N. N. Palmer 1 00 Best Flemish Beauty, Wm. Reid 2 00 PLUMS. Best and greatest variety, Geo. P. Peffer $3 00 Third best, Wm. Reid 1 00 Best Miner, Geo. P. Peffer 2 00 Best native, or wild, Geo. P. Peffer 100 F. C. Curtis, A. J. Phiiips, W. Reynolds, Committee. GRAPES. Best and greatest display of varieties, C. H. Greenman, Wauwatosa. $10 00 Scond best, Wm. Reid 7 50 Third best, N. N. Palmer 5 00 Bast ten varieties, C. H. Greenman 7 50 Second best, Wm. Reid 5 00 Third best, N. N. Palmer 3 00 Best five varieties, J. C. Plumb 3 00 Second best, C. H. Greenman 2 00 Third best, N". 1ST. Palmer 1 00 Best three varieties. C. H. Greenman 3 00 Second best, J. C. Plumb 2 00 Third best, N. N. Palmer 1 00 Best two varieties, C. H. Greenman 2 00 Second best, Wm. Reid 1 00 Best single varietv. C. H. Greenman 2 00 Second best, Wm Reid 1 00 Best three buucbes of Concord on one cane, Wm. Reid 2 00 Second best, C. H. Greenman 1 00 Best three bunches of Delaware on one cane, Wm. Reid 2 00 Second best, C. H. Greenman , 1 00 Best single varietv, quality to rule, C. H. Greenman 3 00 Second best, Wm. Reid 2 00 Best show of foreign, Geo. P. Peffer 3 00 CRABS. Best and greatest varietv, named, N. N. Palmer $3 00 Second best. Wm. Reid 2 00 Third best, Geo. P. Peffer 1 00 Best plate Hyslop, H. Schuster, Middleton 1 00 Best plate Transcendent, N. N. Palmer 1 00 Best seedling, Geo. P. Peffer 2 00 Second best, J. C. Plumb 1 00 SWEEPSTAKES ON FRUIT. Best collection of fruit of all kinds, Geo. P. Peffer $7 50 Second best, L. L. Kellotrg 5 00 Third best, N. N. Palmer 3 00 D. T. Pilgrim, J. M. Smith, A. J. Philips, Committee. Annual Meeting — Premiums Awarded. 125 Fruit by Non- Professional Cultivators. Best and greatest displaj' of varieties, not to exceed thirty, A. J. Phil- ips, West Salem $10 00 Second best, P. J. Foster, Rock Spring 7 50 Third best, Henry Taylor, Middleton 5 00 Best ten varieties adapted to the northwest, A. J. Philips 7 00 Second best, Mrs. A. A. Boyce, Lodi 5 00 Third best, A. Sherman, Janesville. . 3 00 Best ten varieties, large and showy, H. C Willson, Madison 5 00 Second best, A. J. Philips 3 00 Third best, Mrs A. A. Boyce 2 00 Best five varieties adapted to tue northwest, A. J. Philips 3 00 Second best, E. D. Lewis, Lake Mills 2 00 Third best, A. Sherman 1 00 Best and largest variety of winter, not to exceed ten, A. J. Philips. . 5 00 Second best, L.Mirtin, Brown Co 3 00 Third best, Geo. Jeffery, Smithville 2 00 Best five varieties winter, A. J. Philips 3 00 Second best, L. Martin 2 00 Third best, E. D. Lewis 1 00 Largest apple, H. A. Lewis, Madison 1 00 Heaviest apple, H. C. Willson 1 00 PEARS. Best and greatest display of varieties, Geo. Jeffery $3 00 Second best, J. Y. Ozanne, Racine 2 00 Third best, L. Martin 1 00 Best three varieties, L. Martin 2 00 Second best, Geo. Jeftery 1 00 B^st Flemish Beauty, L Martin 2 00 PLUMS. Best and greatest variety, D. T. Pilgrim, West Granville $3 00 Second best, Geo. Jeffery 2 00 Third best, John Spaulding, Janesville 1 00 Best native or wild, D. T. Pilgrim , . 1 00 We find on exhibition, by P. J. Foster of Sauk county, a plate of Flemish Beauty pear3, which were not entered, but which are superior in size to any competing. Also, a fine collection of named apples, from James Barr of Jefferson, and a similar one from the Green County Agricultural Society. Also, a basket of peaches, grown in the city of Madison, by J. E. Scpaiers ■which are large, late and fine. All these exhibits are worthy of commendation in the opinion of the com- mittee. Geo. P. Peffer, W. W. Daniells, J. C. Plumb, Committee. GRAPES. Best and greatest display of varieties, V. Lowe, Palmyra $10 00 Secon 1 best, Isaac Adams, Door Creek 7 50 Third best, F. S. Lawrence, Janesville 5 00 Best ten varieties, V. Lowe 7 50 Second best, F. S. Lawrence 5 00 126 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. Best five varieties, V. Lowe $3 00 Best three varieties, V. Lowe 3 00 Second best, H. C. Willson 2 00 Best two varieties, H. C. "Willson 2 00 Second best, V. Lowe 1 00 Best single variety, V. Lowe 2 00 Second best, H. C. Willson 100 Best three bunches of Concord on one cane, H. C. Willson 2 00 Second best, V. Lowe 1 00 Best three bunches of Delaware on one cane, V. Lowe 2 00 Second best, Isaac Ad arns 1 00 Best single variety, quality to rule, V. Lowe 3 00 Second best, Isaac Adams 2 00 CRABS. Best and greatest variety named, A. J. Philips $3 00 Second best, II. C. Willson 2 GO Third best, Geo. Jeffery 1 00 Best plate Hyslop, A. J. Philips 1 00 Best plate Transcendent, A. J. Philips 1 00 Two seedling crabs exhibited by A. J. Philips, commended. SWEEPSTAKES ON FRUIT. Best collection of fruit of all kinds, Geo. Jeffery $7 50 .Second best, D. T. Pilgrim 5 00 M. J. Plumb, C. H. Greenman, N. N. Palmer, Committee. SEEDLING APPLES. Best seedling apple, A. J. Philips. Second best, A. J. Philips. C. H. Greenman, Geo. Jeffery, N. N. Palmer, Committee. NURSERY TREES. Best collection of nursery grown trees, quality to rule, J. C. Plumb, Dip. Best collection of evergreens, J. C. Plumb Dip. Best collection of fruit trees, J. C. Plumb Dip. Best collection of hardy flowering shrub?, J. C. Plumb Dip. Best collection of apple trees, J. C. Plumb Dip. C. H. Greenman, re than twenty varieties, Mrs. Robert Boyd 3 00 Second best, Miss Kate F. Peffer 2 00 Best ten named dahlias, Miss Kate F. Peffer 2 00 Second best, Mrs. John Joy 1 00 Best display of roses, Mrs. Geo. F. Brown, Madison 4 00 Best five named varieties ros^s, M rs. J. R. Heistaud, Madison 3 00 Best display verbenas, Mrs. Geo. F. Brown 2 00 Second best, Mrs. J. T. Marston 100 Best named verbenas, Mrs. J. C Squires, Madison 2 00 Second best, Miss Kate F. P. fter 1 00 Best show seedling verbenas, Mrs. J. T. Marston 2 00 Seco"d best, C Wildhagen 1 00 Best show asters, Mrs. W. G. Pitman, Ma'ison 2 00 9 — Hobt. So. 123 "Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. Second best, C Wildhagen $1 00 Best show perennial phlox, Mrs. John Joy 1 00 Second best, Mrs. A. A. Boyce 50 Best show pansies, Miss Abbie Deards 1 00 Second best, Mrs. J. T. Marston 50 Best show double petunias, Mrs. A. A. Boyce 1 00 Best show dianthus, C. Wildhagen 1 00 Second best, Z. L. Welnian, Stoughton 50 Best show of gladiolas, Mrs. A. A. Boyce t 1 00 Second best, Mrs. John Joy 50 Best show phlox drurnmondii, Mrs. J. T. Marston 1 00 Second best, P. W. Brown 50 Best show lilies, Mrs. Geo. F. Brown 1 00 Best show stocks, Mrs. A. A. Boyce 1 00 Best show balsams, Mrs. John Joy 1 00 Second best, Miss L. Campbell, Madison 50 Best show greenhouse plants not less than twenty-five nor more than fifty, Mrs. John Joy 5 00 Best ten varieties green house plants in bloom, Mrs. W. G. Pitman. 3 00 Best ten geraniums, Mrs. John Joy 3 00 Second best, Mrs. W. G. Pitman 2 00 Best display of flowers raised by exhibitor, Mrs. A. A. Boyce 5 00 Second best, Miss Kate F. Pefter 3 00 Best display ornamental foliage plants, Mrs. W. G. Pitman 3 00 Second best, Mrs. L. F. Mailory 2 00 Geo. J. W. Kitzrow, Mrs. M. M. Davis, Mrs. H. R. Ryan, Committee. Special Premiums. JAMES VICE'S, OF ROCHESTER, N. Y. Best collection cut flowers, Mrs. W. G. Pitman $20 00 Second best, Mrs. L. F. Mailory 10 00 Third best, Mrs. Robert Boyd 5 00 Fourth best, Mrs. J R. Heistand Floral Chromo. Best ornamental floral work, Win. T. Leitch, Jr 5 00 MADISON HORTICULTURAL. SOCIETY'S. Best collection of wild flowers, ferns and mosse3, Miss C. W. Sharp, Madison Imported canary and gilt cage. Second best, Miss Kate F. Peffer Silver vase. Best collection of flowers, arranged and exhibited by boy or girl un- der sixteen years of age, Miss Jennie Leitch, Madison Silver pickle castor. Geo. J. W. Kitzrow, Mrs. H. R. Ryan, Committee. Respectfully submitted, F. W. CASE, Superintendent. The report of the superintendent was accepted and adopted. On motion, of Mr. Stickney, the committee on the revision of the premium list were instructed to give the main regulations govern- ing the entry and exhibition of articles in the fruit and flower de- Annual Meeting — Constitution. 129 partment, at the head of the list, and to extend the time for the final arrangement of cut flowers till Wednesday morning, 9 A. M. It was also decided to give the superintendent instructions to secure full control of the hall and its entrances for the horticultu- ral department at the fair, to be used so as best to promote the purposes of the exhibition. Constitution and By-Laws Amended. — The committee to whom was referred the amendment of the constitution and by-laws of the society reported, recommending the adoption of the fol- lowing: constitution. Art. I. This society shall be known as the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. Art. II. Its object shall be the advancement of the science of horticulture. Art. III. Its members shall consist of annual members, paying an annual fee of one dollar; of life members, paying a fee of ten dollars at one time; of honorary life members, who shall be dis- tinguished for merit in horticultural or kindred sciences, or who shall confer any particular benefit upon this society; and honorary annual members, who may, by vote, be invited to participate in the proceedings of the society. Art. IV. Its officers shall consist of a President, Vice-Pres- ident, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Superintendent, and an Executive Board, consisting of the fore- going officers and additional members, one from each congres- sional district of the state, five of whom shall constitute a quo- rum at anv of its meetings. In addition to the foresroins: offi- cers, the presidents of all local horticultural societies reporting to this society, shall be deemed honorary members and ex-offixio vice presidents of this society. All officers shall be elected by ballot and shall hold their office for one year thereafter, and until their successors are elected; provided, the additional executive members may be elected by the county or local horticultural soci- eties of their respective districts. Art. V. The society shall hold annual meetings, commencing on the Monday next preceding the first Tuesday in February, for the election of officers, for discussions and for the exhibition of 130 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. fruit; also one meeting during the fall, for the exhibition of fruits and for discussions, and such other meetings for discussion and ex- hibition as the executive committee may direct, at such time and place as the executive board shall designate. Art. VI. This constitution, with the accompanying by-laws, may be amended at any regular meeting, by a two-thirds vote of the members present. BY-LAWS. I. The president shall preside at meetings, and with the advice of the recording secretary, call all meetings of the society, and have a general supervision of the affairs of the society; and shall deliver an annual address upon some subject connected with horticulture. II. The vice-president shall act rm the absence or disability of the president, and perform the duties of the chief officer. III. The secretary shall attend to all the correspondence, shall record the proceedings of the society, preserve all papers belonging to the same, and superintend the publication of its reports. He shall also present a detailed report of the affairs of the society at its annual meeting. He shall also endeavor to secure reports from the various committees, and from local societies, of the condition and progress of horticulture of the various districts of the state, and report the same to this society. It shall be the duty of the secretary to make an annual report to the governor of the state, of the transactions of the society, according to the provisions of the statutes for state reports. IV. The treasurer shall keep an account of all moneys belonging to the society, and disburse the same on the written order of the president, countersigned by the secretary, and shall make an annual report of receipts and disbursements, and furnish the secretary with a copy of the same, on or before the first day of the annual meeting. The treasurer elect shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, give good and sufficient bonds for the faithful perform- ance of his duties, subject to the approval of the executive committee. V. The executive board may, subject to the approval of the society, manage all its affairs, and fill vacancies in the board of officers; three of their number, as designated by the president, shall constitute a finance committee. VI. It shall be the duty of the finance committee to settle with Annual Meeting. 131 the treasurer, and to examine and report upon all bills or claims against the society, which may have been presented and referred to them. VII. The standing committees of this society shall be as follows: 1st, Committee on Finance, consisting of three members; 2d, Com- mittee on Nomenclature, consisting of three members; 3d, Com- mittee of Observation, as now provided. Said committees to be appointed annually by the executive committee of the society. J. C. PLUMB, Chairman. "Which report was accepted, and the CDnstitution and by-laws were adopted. The president announced that the time for election of officers having arrived, the society would now proceed to the election of the officers for the ensuing year. The election was made in the usual form, by ballot, and the following persons were chosen: President. — J. M. Smith, of Green Bay. Vice President. — C. H. Greenman, of Wauwatosa. Recording Secretary. — P. W. Case, of Madison. Corresponding Secretary. — A. L. Hatch, of Ithaca. Treasurer. — M. Anderson, of Cross Plains. Superintendent. — D. T. Pilgrim, of West Granville. Additional members of Executive Committee. — J. S. Stickney, "Wauwatosa; A. J. Phillips, West Salem; A. G. Tuttle, Baraboo. The following persons were elected as Committee of Observation for the respective fruit districts: 1st District, D. T. Pilgrim, of West Granville. 2d " J. C. Plumb, of Milton. 3d " George Hill, of Fond duLac. 4th " A. L. Hatch, of Ithaca. 5th " E. W. Daniels, of Auroraville. 6th " C. W. Potter, of Mauston. 7th " D. Huntley, of Appleton. 8th " J. H. Felch, of Amherst. 9th " A. J. Phillips, of West Salem. 10th " G. W. Perry, of Superior. 11th " Hiram Smith, of Sheboygan. 12th " J. M. Smith, of Green Bay. 132 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. The president appointed as Committee on Nomenclature, J. 0. Plumb, B. B. Olds, George P. Peffer. On motion, the usual appropriation was voted to the secretary. Mr. Stickney stated that the premium offered by the society for a number of years for the best seedlings had not been produc- tive of very satisfactory results, in part on account of the condi- tions imposed, being next to impossible to bring samples of fruit for five successive years; in part, on account of inadequate compen- sation for the labor required, and because the desired qualities "were not definitely stated, and he moved that the same premium should be offered for the best seedling apple, said apple to be exhib- ited for three years; entries to be made annually, and premiums to be paid at the third exhibition; said apple to have better qualities as a tointer apple than any variety now on the recommended list/ which motion prevailed. Reports were read from the Brown county, Sauk county, Grand Chute, Lemonweir Valley and Janesville Horticultural societies. (Reports given with "proceedings of local societies" in present volume.) The following resolution was introduced by Mr. Stickney: JResolved, That in case we receive the appropriation asked for, our executive committee be authorized to appropriate from the same, such sum as they think best, not to exceed one hundred dol- lars, to promote the interest and usefulness of the summer meeting. Which resolution was adopted, and the society adjourned to meet in joint convention in the Assembly Chamber at 7:30 P. M.* Feb. 6, 9:30 P. M. The society met in the Agricultural Rooms for the transaction of unfinished business. The committee on revision of the premium list made their report, which was adopted. * The papers read in joint convention on horticultural subjects, and the discussions following, will be given under the head of " Papers read at An- nual Meeting." Annual Meeting. 133 On motion, Dr. P. H. Hoy, of Racine; J. Periam, of Chicago, and A. F. Hofer, of McGregor, Iowa, were made annual honorary members of the society. A resolution was passed requesting Dr. Hoy to act as Entomolo- gist for the society. In the absence of the secretary, Mr. Geo. J. Kellogg was elected secretary pro tern. Adjourned. Feb. 7, 5:30 P. M. The society met and the following report was made by the com- mittee on Fruit on Exhibition: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FRUIT ON EXHIBITION. The committee on fruit find on the tables a fine collection of ap- ples by A. J. Phillips, of "West Salem, La Crosse county, that show great care in growing and handling, and also the advantage of high limestone ridges for fruit growing. The varieties are Pewaukee, Ben Davis, Wealthy, Willow Twig, Walbridge, Fameuse, Golden Russet, Alexander, Fall Spitzenberg, Ortley, Rawle's Janet, and Jonathan. The last three are seldom grown in that latitude. Mr. Phillips also showed four seedling apples. J. P. W. Hill, Windsor, Dane county, shows some seedling apples, called Leitch, and Hill's Red Winter, of fine size, excellent quality and very beautiful, which promise well for hardiness. J. C. Plumb shows six varieties of apples and two of winter Siberians, the General Grant and Lake Winter, the latter of ex- cellent quality. E. G. Mygatt, of Richmond, Illinois, shows fine specimens of Baldwins grown on top grafted trees; shown to commend top work- ing the tender varieties upon hardy stocks. M. E. Emerson, Door Creek, shows extra well grown specimens of Ben Davis and Stark. G. P. Peffer shows a new seedling apple, the Oakland, and five varieties Siberian crabs. Freeborn & Hatch, Ithaca, Richland county, show enormous sized Golden Russets, and well preserved specimens of grapes, which are supposed to be Rogers No. 3, and Wilder. 134 "Wisconsin State Horticultural Society, "VVm. Springer, Fremont, Wis., shows several varieties of the Waupaca county seedling apples of great beauty. Among them we find the Weyauwega, Wrightman and Flora, all very promising. G. J. Kellogg, Janesville, shows six varieties of apples, Willow,. Stark, Tallman, Grimes, Golden Russet and Barrett Russet. E. W. Daniels, of Waushara county, shows samples of an apple much resembling the R. I. Greening, and which the committee think must be that variety. C. H. Greenman exhibits a model grape trellis of a new pattern,, and sample vines to illustrate its use and his system of pruning. We find also well preserved samples of Adirondac, Agawam, Eumelan, Wilder, Lindley, but do not find the exhibitor's name in connection with them. Respectfully submitted, Committee. Report was accepted and adopted. The commit! ee appointed to specify the condition on which the recommendation of the list of apples for general cultivation was based, were granted further time to complete the specifications. On motion, an appropriation was, made to defray the expenses of Mr. P. M. Gideon, of Minnesota, while in attendance on the convention. The following resolution was introduced: " Resolved, That Mr. J. C. Plumb be requested to present a re- port at our next annual meeting, districting the state according to conditions of soil and climate, and giving lists of fruit best adapted to each." Which was passed. The arrangements for the summer meeting were discussed, and the opinion was expressed that it was advisable to offer premiums for an exhibition of fruit and flowers, for which the state and local horticultural societies should contribute an equal amount; in ac- cordance with which understanding a resolution was passed, instructing the president and executive committee to complete the arrangements for such meeting. On motion, the society adjourned sine die. Addresses — Strawberries. 135 HORTICULTURAL ADDRESSES, PAPERS AND DISCUSSIONS BEFORE THE JOINT CONVENTION, AT THE Annual Meeting of the Society, held at Madison, February 4-7, 1879. SHALL WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIMENT WITH NEW VARIETIES OF STRAWBERRIES? J. M. SMITH, President State Horticultural Society, Green Bay. I have been urged to say something on this question, and it has occurred to me that a few words on this subject would not be inap- propriate at this time. It is now about twenty years since Wilson's Albany Seedling began to be known among the strawberry growers. Previous to that time, the cultivation of this, the finest of all ber- ries, was confined to comparatively few persons, and the aggregate yearly crop of the country was probably not one-fifth, if it was, in- deed, one-tenth, of what it is at present. The varieties then most generally cultivated were Hovey's Seedling, in New England, and the Early Scarlet, or New Jersey Scarlet (which I believe are one and the same), in New Jersey and other places adjoining our large cities. In other portions of the country there were but very few grown, as compared with the present. The introduction of the " Wilson," as it is now termed, was such a vast step in advance of any variety then known, that in the course of a few years it worked a complete revolution in strawberry culture. Thousands upon thou- sands of those who had previously looked upon this delicious fruit 13G Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. as only within the reach of the wealthy, or the expert cultivator, now found that they could raise it, not only for themselves but for the market. The firmness and keeping qualities of the berry were such that those at a distance from market found they could carry or send their surplus fruit to the nearest town or city, and often realize sufficient from it to give them quite a little sum of money to use; and at a time of the year too, when the farmer usually has not a large amount coming in. Thus has this remarkable berry worked its own way, in spite of all opposition, until, it is safe to say, that at least nine-tenths, if not nineteen-twentieths, of all the berries now grown in the United States are of this variety. It yielded when introduced, larger and firmer berries than any of the varieties then in general cultivation. These bsrries will keep longer and bear transportation better than any other. The vines are as hardy as the best, and prolific to a degree that has not been equaled either before or since. "With all these acknowledged good qualities, it may be asked: " Do we need any other? " I answer, "Yes." With all of its splendid qualities it has some faults. The first ripening fruit is fine and large; soon it begins to grow less, and before the close of the season the berries often become quite small. We need a berry that will hold its size through the bearing season better than this one. Although it is an early berry, we need one a week earlier, if we can get it. We also need one that will continue in bearing longer, and until we get fairly to the raspberry season. With a great many people, there is another and a very serious objection to it; it is too acid. With those who grow their own fruit, I believe that this objection would be nearly done away with, if they would only leave the fruit upon the vines until it is thoroughly ripe. It is not ripe as soon as it turns red, but should remain upon the vines until it has lost its glossy appearance, and is of a deep, dull red. When in this condition it is very much better than if picked as soon as it is well colored. Last summer my family averaged from ten to twelve during tne berry season. The table was bountifully supplied with berries while they lasted, at nearly or quite every meal. Upon it •were the Wilson, Duncan, No. 30, Kentucky, Downer's Prolific, beside a number of other varieties. Every one was expected to eat as many as he or she chose, and as often as they chose. After the first few days every one, with a single exception, fell back upon Addresses — Strawberries. 137 the Wilson as the best for constant use. One lady chose the No. 30 and stood by it until the last box of them was picked. So much for quality; still 1 am willing to admit that we need a berry of a better and a different quality. How shall we get it? Shall we keep right on buying, haphazard, every new variety that comes along, and happens to be pretty well puffed up by those who are inter- ested in its sale? Are we likely to succeed any better in the future than we have for the last fifteen years? Suppose we look back for a few moments and see what we have been doing; perhaps I should say what I have been doing; for it is to be hoped that you have not all been as foolish in this direction as I have. Soon after the Wilson became established as the lead- ing berry, new varieties began to make their appearance in great numbers. Each new variety was claimed to be better than any of its predecessors; and its owner would generally close the story of its marvelous value by telling how much better in every respect it was than the Wilson. To name them all, would be to fill pages with names that you would not care to hear or I to read. Some- times it is one of wondrous size, like the Dr. Nicaise, or Russell's Prolific, either one of which will bear an occasional berry of im- mense size, but it will generally have- the slight failing of being thoroughly ripe and rotten on one side, while it is as thoroughly green and sour upon the other. Perhaps it is the everlasting bearer, found upon the high lands in Mexico, which the peddler brings around, with samples of berries preserved in bottles of alcohol, ac- companied by the wondrous story of their constant bearing, from early spring until the snow comes and covers both ground and ber- ries. Here is perfection surely. I hasten to try this new wonder. After years of careful cultivation, upon as good soil as I own, I learn that it will bear an occasional berry during the whole season; and that by keeping, say half an acre of them in the best of order, I might once in a week have a quart of berries, though I think they did not do as well as that with most people. I remember my largest picking, a small tea cup, half full of berries about the size of peas; and then the pleasure that wife and I had in learning that they were scarcely fit to eat. Another package of plants comes from a gentleman in Ohio, with a request to cultivate with great care; and, also, the injunc- tion never to sell or give away one of the plants, except by his di- 138 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. rection. I promise a faithful compliance with all his wishes and try again. After two years I succeed in getting about a single handful of berries of good size, but bad shape, and that taste about like a mixture of rain water and vinegar. I complied with his re- quest, to neither sell nor give them away; and did as I have done with many others both before and since — dug them all out, being very careful not to have one left, and used them for manure; as that was the only way by which I could get even the slightest re- turn from them. Thus it has been year after year, each new variety resulting in anew disappointment and vexation, to say nothing of the loss of time and money, until a few years since, when I received a lot of plants from the department at Washington. There were two vari- eties. One was marked " Wilson's Albany Seedling," the other, "No. 2." What that meant, I did not then, nor do I yet know. I was somewhat surprised to learn that our government should go to the expense of growing and distributing a variety that, if not already in use by every grower in the country, could readily be ob- tained by all, and at a very small expense. Still, as they seemed to be entirely different from my Wilsons, I imagined it was a new variety of them, that would combine all imaginable excellencies, free from the defects that are acknowledged to belong to our or- dinary Wilson. They had come just in time. We had just fin- ished setting two or three new varieties that had come from the East, and had a choice spot left where we could, and did set them, with all the care and kindness that we were capable of showing them. About nine-tenths of them returned our kindness by qui- etly laying down and dying at once. Those that lived were nursed with tenderest care, and in the course of fourteen or fifteen months we gathered our first and last crop of fruit from them. The so called Wilsons, were indeed different from any of the kind that I had ever seen. They were very small and very hard, knotty, to a degree I have never seen either before or since. In fact, there was scarcely a fairly formed berry upon the vines, and only an occasional one of any kind. I can imagine of only one advantage that they would have possessed over the ordinary Wilson; and that is, if we had shipped any of them (provided, we could have got any to ship), they would undoubtedly have reached their place of destination in Addresses — Strawberries. 139 safety, as no express agent or other person would have risked tasting of them more than once; the quality being, if possible, worse than their appearance. The No. 2 bore about as well as the "Wilson. The berries being about the size of the common navy bean, and not altogether unlike it in shape. In color, it was about like a half ripe cranberry. In quality, please imagine a cross between the green cranberry and a wild crab apple. Thus has it been for nearly twenty years, a succession of fail- ures. It may be asked, were they all as complete failures as those named? Not quite; from the Triomphe De Grand, the Jucunda, Seth Boyden's, No. 30, Kentucky, Duncan, and perhaps a few others, I have succeeded in getting some magnificent fruit. I rec- ollect once picking twenty-five berries from some of my Jucunda vines, that made a full quart, and that, too, without looking for the largest ones. Still, if I could have known just how much that quart cost in manure and time, I have no idea that it would have been less than one dollar, and perhaps considerably more than that. The nearest that I have ever come to a success with any of the many new varieties that I have tried, is with the Duncan. But that is too soft to bear transportation, which of course shuts it out, even if it were right in other respects. Next to that I would place the No. 30. Perhaps I cannot express my estimate of the value of the many new varieties better than in the following way: If some responsi- ble parties should offer me ten cents per quart for all the Wilsons that I could produce, I should not hesitate to fill every acre of land that I possess, with them, just as fast as I could get it ready, and get the plants to put in. On the contrary, if the same parties should offer me fifty cents per quart for all I could raise, and con- fine me to any two or three varieties that have come out within the last twenty years, I should hesitate long and consider very care- fully, before I accepted it, even far enough to make an extensive trial. Understand me, gentlemen; I do not say that some of these varieties are not worthy of trial, or that they should be utterly con- demned under all circumstances. I have no doubt but that good fair crops of them have been obtained at times, where the soil, climate and cultivation were all adapted to their peculiar wants. But I am speaking to-day for the millions of our people who love strawberries, b«t do not have them; and for other millions who 140 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. have bought and paid for some one or more worthless varieties, cultivated them for years, and then given up in disgust and de- spair, saying, " I cannot raise strawberries." I say to you, one and all, that the Wilson is, in reality, the only variety now in general cultivation that you can rely upon with any degree of certainty. "With the ordinary cultivator, I do not believe there is one chance in a hundred of his being fairly successful with any other; while with the Wilson, a reasonable degree of success is almost a cer- tainty. What, then, is to be done? My advice to the amateur every- where is, to try the Wilson and let all other varieties alone, un- til some professional grower about you, some one whose business it is to keep himself posted, even if it does cost him time and money, has demonstrated that some other variety will do well with you. I think it is a duty that those of us who are growing berries for market owe to those about us, to warn them against spending either money or time with such varieties as we believe to be worth- less. I have practiced this for at least fifteen years past, and have steadily refused to advise any one to set anything but the Wilson, without telling them plainly my belief that they would probable lose both their time and money with anything else. I have some- times gone further than this. Last summer a man came to Green Bay with a magnificent plate of the Crescent Seedling. The stories that he told about it would almost have put Baron Munchausen at a discount. I wrote a short article for one of our papers warn- ing our people against such stories; told them that I had it on trial, and if it proved to be worthy of cultivation in our portion of the state, I should certainly find it out, and would just as certainly let them know it. I had the plants to sell, and if they really wanted them regardless of their value, I would supply them at a cost not to exceed twelve and a half cents per dozen, while the stranger was asking them $1.50 per dozen. I heard nothing more of him after that, neither have I had any calls for the plants. Right here the question maybe asked: will this new can- didate for honor that has been brought forward with such a blast of trumpets, also prove a failure? I have not tried it for a sufficient length of time to decide for myself; but I must say that my faith has been much weakened in it within the last six months. I will not condemn it yet, but will say to my friends, do not be in too much Addresses — Strawberries. 141 of a hurry to invest in it, for fear it will only add another to the list of your disappointments. Scarcely a year passes that I do not destroy a number of new varieties, root and branch, being fully as anxious to get rid of the last vestige of them, as I was in the first place to try them. I de- stroyed three or four new kinds last summer, and have now some half a dozen others that will share the same fate next summer, un- less they do better than they have yet done. It may be asked, what do you call doing well, and what would satisfy you in a new variety? In reply, I say that I will not cultivate a berry that yields less than 200 bushels per acre, when it has a fair chance to do well. We surely do not want a variety with fewer good quali- ties than the Wilson. My view is, that we need something about one week, or if possible, more than that, earlier than the Wilson, and another variety a little later, or one to continue in bearing until we get fairly into the raspberry season. If any person will send me one dozen plants each, of such varie- ties, possessing all the good qualities of the Wilson, in the same degree as the Wilson, even if they are no better in any other re- spect except being earlier and later, I will cheerfully bind myself to pay .$100 for the two dozen plants, after they have proved a suc- cess, by a thorough and systematic trial upon my grounds. But, gentlemen, until I see at least reasonable evidence of some im- provement over the Wilson, I propose hereafter to go a little slower on new varieties than I have done heretofore. To say that I have spent hundreds of dollars, in time and money, upon new varieties, is to speak very far within the actual truth; and when I say, that with all the care and attention that I could bestow upon them, I have never made one dollar from them, this is also the truth. Upon the other hand, I have been very successful with the Wilson from the first to the present, and that almost without an exception. This being the case, I have no hesitation in saying to the beginner and to the amateur cultivator, take the Wilson and treat it well, and you will almost certainly reap a good reward for your labor. But touch the new varieties as a burned child touches fire, very care- fully, until some expert or professional grower in your vicinity has demonstrated that it is at least not entirely worthless. Strawberries. — Geo. J. Kellogg — I would like to ask Mr. Smith if he ever raised the Green Prolific by the quantity? 142 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. Mr. Smith — No, sir, I never did. I got disgusted with them before I tried them myself. A friend of mine tried them, and made so thorough a failure that I would not risk them. He had tried them under good circumstances; everything, as I thought, favorable. Mr. Kellogg — Perhaps he set them by themselves. It is a pis- tillate, and, like any pistillate variety, entirely worthless when set by itself. The Crescent Seedling may not be hermaphrodite enough to produce the best effect by itself, but it certainly is enough so to produce a good heavy crop. The Green Prolific is one of the old varieties, and has been tried generally and thoroughly, and with success, for a near market. It is not good for transporta- tion two hundred miles. On one of the rows, three feet wide and eighteen rods long, my record was fifty-six quarts to the picking. Mr. Smith — I had one picking of Wilsons last summer over the •whole ground, in which we averaged twenty-eight quarts to the square rod. Mr. Kellogg — How many pickings had you for the season? Mr. Smith — I had five large pickings. Mr. Kellogg — My average, for the plantation, was ten pickings- Mr. Smith — I only count five; I only count the large pickings. Mr. Kellogg — I averaged the full crop, and it amounted to just the picking of this day, which would make five bushels to the square rod of Green Prolific. The Wilson did better with me. One row two feet wide and sixteen rods long gave forty quarts to a picking, and averaged ten such pickings, which would make be- tween six and seven bushels to the square rod. I admit that the Wilson is worth more than anything else we have ever had for gen- eral culture; yet the Crescent Seedling, with me, last year yielded, well; on plants that I moved half a mile, I picked berries four and one-half inches in circumference, and the stems were loaded right down to the ground on plants set the same spring. In the bed I left for fruiting, where I did not disturb the plants, there was a splendid show. I do not know what it is going to do. I can tell you by the first of July next. Mr. Plumb, of Milton — I want to talk a little on President Smith's experience. There is something he did not tell us that we would like to know. The soil in which he grows these berries is a purely artificial soil. It is one of those Fox river sand banks that Addresses — Strawberries. 143 are supposed to be worthless, and yet it did grow big pine trees originally; that is, before the sand covered up stumps and all. But he composts his manures; he fills that land as completely full of decomposing manure as it is possible to fill it. The soil is simply a vehicle for certain purposes of his; he puts in everything. Now you see what the conditions are. It is hot-bed culture, essen- tially. He must have a variety like the Wilson, that -has tremen- dous native vigor to stand it, to begin with. Others will fail for various reasons. They have not the constitution to stand that kind of treatment. In the next place, if he produces some of these large growing, soft varieties, they are so large and so soft that they will fairly rot on his ground, and they are worthless there. Now change the conditions; give him an ordinary farmer's soil, we will say a good stiff clay bank, a good potato or corn soil, such as farmers generally grow their berries on, and he will find the condi- tions vary exceedingly. He will find that the Wilson still stands ahead; no doubt of that; but there are some of these other varie- ties, that with him are practically worthless, that will then occupy a very important position; the Green Prolific, for instance, will yield more to the acre or square rod; will continue in fruit longer and will bring more in the market, provided you get it to market in good condition. Mr. Smith — But you cannot do it. Mr. Plumb — The growers at our place ship to Madison, 32 miles, without any trouble. Mr. Smith — But I have got to ship 200 miles. Mr. Plumb — That is another thing. There is a good deal about this strawberry question. I procured my first plants of the Cres- cent Seedling last spring from O. B. Galusha. I planted them two feet apart in the row, the rows four feet apart. If I had put them, as he said, ten feet apart each way, they would have covered the ground, and done it handsomely, such is their native vigor. They are just about as bright and full leaved to-day, under the straw that covers them, as they were the first day of September. They promise to hold that foliage, which will almost insure them a crop next spring; and I must say that I never had plants bear as they did. I picked the fruit buds off from most of them, but a few that were left bore fully equal to Wilsons that had stood a year. The berries were not as large, but the plants bore as much in pro- 10 — Hort. So. 144 "Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. portion to their size as the Wilson, that had stood a year. I might speak of other varieties, but I wanted to speak of the condition of the soil. The Arena, which we have almost discarded, is on some kinds of soil a good berry, but on a sandy soil it is a complete failure. These conditions we cannot overlook. Mr. A. G. Tuttle, of Baraboo — I have had some experience with the Crescent Seedling. I planted it a year ago, and for vigor and hardiness I have seen nothing on the list of strawberries which I think compares with it. Plants that were entirely uncovered last winter, were as bright and green in the spring as they were in the fall, while the Wilsons were worse destroyed last spring than I ever knew them. I fruited the Crescent last spring, and could not see but what it bore as heavy a crop as the Wilson. Of course Hhad but few plants. The most of the plants I transplanted. They were standing only a short distance from the Wilson, and I noticed, after a frost had occurred, the blossoms that were open upon the Wilson, after a careful examination, seemed to be about nine-tenths of them destroyed; while on these only about one-tenth; the frost had an entirely different effect upon the blossoms. The plant is very vig- orous, and I think my friend Smith has not had a very good chance to try the Crescent Seedling if he set his plants last spring. I saw the original bed of Crescent Seedling after it had been fruited three years. The man who originated the berry, Mr. Parmalea, is not in the fruit business. He propagated it for his own amusement and not for sale, and never has sent out a plant to my knowledge. The grower, Mr. H. H. Smith, who lives not far from Mr. Parmalee, took up the plant, I think he told me, in 1871 or 1872. When I was there, Mr. Parmalee told me that he had a new seedling strawberry that he thought very much of. He had fruited it one season, and if it proved to be what it promised, he thought it was going to be ahead of anything in the strawberry line. He said Mr. H. H. Smith had taken and fruited it also, and he, too, thought very much of it, and was growing it and sending it out. I do not think Mr. Parmalee has ever sent out any plants at all. The reason he called my attention to the bed was, that as I was reading in his house the description Mr. Smith gave of the plant, that it would keep down all the grass and weeds, so that after the first year there would be no care required, and that it would go on and fruit year after year; I told Mr. Parmalee I thought that was Addresses — Strawberries. 145 a pretty large story; if we [had the plants out west, I thought the weeds would get the advantage of them, but he said, " go into my garden and look at my bed." I went and saw the bed which had been fruited three years. He had a bed of the Arena growing on one side and of the Wilson on the other. He said, " we treat those exactly alike. They have not had a bit of labor upon them since the first year." The Crescent Seedling was entirely free from weeds. I could not see one there, large or small; and it was a per- fect mat of vines. He said it had borne as well that season as it did the first. He could see no real difference. I am satisfied that it will take possession of the ground, and that no weeds and grass will grow if you keep them down the first year. I set a quantity of them last year, four feet apart each way; they have covered the ground so there will be a solid mass of vines in the spring; and for hardiness and productiveness and for quality, I have never seen a berry I thought superior to it. Of course it takes years of trial to test these new things, and I think friend Smith should give it a further trial before he condemns it. I appreciate the Wilson. It is a valuable berry and has proved so. It has been the great berry, as the Concord has been the great grape of the country. It has its faults, and I hope that we shall get something that will be equal in productiveness to the Wilson, better in quality, more uniform in size, and on the whole a better market berry. That is what we are looking after in new varieties; and though I would not give up the Wilson, I would still try varieties that are promising. Mr. Smith — I did not run down the Crescent Seedling. I said distinctly that I had not tried it long enough to be certain of what it would prove to be. The idea I wanted to convey was simply this: for the amateur, those who are growing strawberries for their own table, not to try these until such men as Mr. Plumb and Mr. Kellogg and myself, whose business it is to test new varieties, and stand the loss if they prove to be failures, have tried them. It is no matter if we do lose, because it is a part of our business to test them. Let the amateur watch such experiments and see if the re- sults are good, and not plunge into them, fooling away time and money. 1 do not know but the Crescent Seedling will prove to be all that its friends say for it, only I say to the amateur, " go slow," for I certainly have not as much faith in it as I had a year ago. I set my vines last spring and they did well. I got them from Mr. 146 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. Galusha. As to keeping down the weeds, if the grower will ma- nure the ground as he ought to, and the Crescent Seedling or any- other strawberry will grow thick enough, strong enough and rank enough to keep down all the weeds, they will grow so rank that he will have no berries. Mr. Tuttle — It seems, from trial, that they do produce large quantities of berries. That has been the case on Mr. H. H. Smith's grounds. His Crescent Seedlings have been fruited for five years. He says he has not spent a dollar on that ground since the first year, and he gets very large crops. These berries will not keep the weeds down the first year, but the second year they grow a foot high, the foliage perfectly covering the ground, and you might as well try to grow weeds under a board as under that thick foliage. Mr. J. W. Stone, of Fort Atkinson — I have been engaged in growing strawberries for quite a number of years and I used to put the Wilson ahead. One time I had four acres of Wilsons; no others of any account. I tested several varieties, but relied on the Wilson for the main crop. I find I can do better with other vari- eties now. I stated here, a year or two ago, that the leaf-roller de- stroyed the Wilson more than any other variety. I am entirely free from that now; the leaf-roller drove me to test other varieties. I have the Col. Cheney on my grounds, and can grow more quarts to the acre of it for market, than I can of the Wilson. And I have tested them this year by raising them side by side. My Wilsons did not yield as many quarts, and the first Wilson berries that were picked were not as good an average size as the last of the Col. Cheneys. I am not particularly interested in the Col Cheney, any more than in any other. I have now about half and half of Wil- son andCol. Cheney; my main crop of Col. Cheney looked bright all through the year. My Wilsons, though there were no insects on them, rusted and were not as thrifty. I think strawberry growers, those that are going to make a business [of it, had better look for a hardier plant than the Wilson. I think we have them among those now on trial. Mr. Kellogg — In relation to the Col. Cheney, it is good for nothing unless grown with some other variety. Mr. Stone — I set every third row with Wilson. The way I set them now is, one row of Wilsons and three rows of Col. Cheney, and Cere is no trouble in fertilizing them thoroughly. Addresses — Strawberries. 147 Mr. B. F. Adams, Madison — I grow, at the present time, four acres of strawberries; three acres of Wilsons, and one of other sorts, Jucunda, Col. Chene}^ Charles Downing, and Downer's Pro- lific. Our main crop, is, of course, the Wilson. We grow fruit for market. We sell it here in this local market, and ship it to many other points. We derive the most profit from the acre of mixed varieties; not that they yield a larger quantity than the Wilson, but the fruit averages so much larger and finer, and is so much more attractive in market, that it sells for a higher price; last season, when fruit was very low, it sold for nearly double. I think there are many localities in this state, and all over the country, where these varieties which I have spoken of, on this acre, can be grown with success, and some of them be made to yield as high as our friend Smith desires, two hundred bushels to the acre. I do not know that the Jucunda can be made to yield that quantity on a clay soil, on these white oak ridges, but it certainly can be made to yield as high as one hundred. I have myself grown them at that rate in that location, which is only a short distance from this city, on a white oak ridge, half a mile from the lake, but it is a variety. that is much better than the Wilson to ship; it is firmer, and it goes into the market bearing a much more attractive ap- pearance. Mr. Wood — My hopes are at present largely fixed on this Cres- cent Seedling. I have heard it recommended so highly, and I have so often failed in raising strawberries, because I failed to give them the labor and attention that they required, that I have been looking for just this strawberry, that would give something for nothing; and I am sorry to have anything said in this convention that shall dampen my hopes in the least, because I have procured some of friend Kellogg and planted them, and I am going to cul- tivate them next year; and if I ever have to touch them again, I am going back on friend Kellogg. Mr. Q. J. Freeborn — I have raised strawberries for the last ten years, and must say, I do not like to hear my old friend, the Green Prolific, abused. Until I heard of the Crescent Seedling, I thought that was the berry for a lazy man, but I guess I'll have to try the Crescent Seedling. The Green Prolific with us will not stand a particle of manure. In a virgin, sandy soil, it will produce a large crop; we do not think it necessary to set them with the Wilson; we have set them without, and had good crops, invariably. 148 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. HUMBUGS. By GEORGE J. KELLOGG, Janesvillb. There are but two classes now living, the humbugged and the humbugger. Presume they are both here. Let man, woman or child who is not humbug, stand up. Go to Washington; the greater the position, the greater the strife; the higher the prize, the more trickery, chicanery, deception, fraud, avarice, imposition and all the evils of high life, culminating in debauchery, bankruptcy and ruin. What of humbugs in the legal profession? There was a time when the laws were so simple there was no need of lawyers. Now, while congress is composed of more than three-fourths of this fra- ternity, what wonder that the laws are so ambiguous that even a Philadelphia expert cannot get beyond the amendment to the amendment. Did you ever know a lawyer that was not a humbug, or who would not for money clear the very dirtiest, low-lived scamp? Are there any clerical humbugs? The question seems to be one of fleeces instead of sheep, and not much care of the lambs except that the fleeces be kept good. Are we getting so far advanced that we are losing all the old landmarks? Is there not humbug in our colleges, in our city schools, and less common sense in our district school teachers than years ago? In the graded school, we find the scholars must march to music, step to time and go barefoot; and if by accident a pencil is dropped, it cannot be picked up until school is out, no matter if the child is idle the balance of the day. One of our city patrons told me that all the scholars learn in the high school is to walk up one aisle and down the other without kicking his fellow. Is this not humbug? Did you ever know a doctor that was a humbug, or rather did you ever know one who was not? When called, will he not shake his head and look wondrous wise; make the case a very critical one; he was not called any too soon; doubtful; he would need to see the patient again before he slept, and between the nostrums he left and the disease, no wonder the patient is worse and will doubt- less remain about so if the doctor can control the case, especially if the bill is good. Have you ever known his reputation built up by a good deal of brass and two good horses, with a furious drive Addresses — Humbugs. 149 into the country twice a day, returning on a different road? Poor timber is now worked up into doctors at very short notice. How about the agriculturist? I suppose this big word means the humbug farmer of now-a-days; humbug in his house, in his barn; he doubtless had a humbug carpenter — there is hardly any other; humbug in his surroundings; humbug in his seed and in his soil; humbug in his way of farming; humbug in his horses — he is the one who sent the boy for the doctor, and he went afoot to gain time; humbug in his cows — who ever heard of a yearling heifer whose milk was so rich that a pint would make a pound of butter; humbug in his hogs — see that sandy pair that cost one hundred dollars; humbug in his sheep — wool pulled over his eyes at the last fair to the tune of several hundred dollars; will he pan out by humbugging some one else? Fifty dollars for a trio of fowls; how is that for eggs at ten cents a dozen? Did you get rich with the hulless oats and the beardless barley? Have you tried the new corn, one kernel in the hill; the potatoes that are bug proof, or that new kind just from Peru? Have you tried the Jerusalem artichoke, and did your pigs dig their own dinner and make pork for one cent per pound? Did you ever give an order and note for an unlimited supply of lightning rods, and how did you get out? How about that new kind of reaper that stands beside the fence yonder, or that patent churn, up in the garret, or the new dasher that brings butter in five minutes? Lastly, did you ever get acquainted with a patent right man and make your pile, over the left? Turn to any calling, business or profession, and it is polished up with brass; sham and shoddy, the best side out; if there is any defect, it is puttied up, varnished and whitewashed, from the wafer to the wooden nutmeg; from the Bank of England to the sand bank; from the highest social circle to the lowest dregs of human- ity; humbug in everything; humbug in man, but oh! oh! what shall I say of woman? — worse and worse. Where is humbug more often seen and more seriously felt than in horticulture? You plant a tree with the hope of eating choice fruit some five years hence; you nurse it to life, pet it, lo ! these many years, and what? It blooms and blights, or worse, what it bears is a humbug. It is easy to tell where you bought that tree. A smooth-tongued man called on you, familiary addressing you by name, showed his pictures and glass jars with magnified fruit; a 150 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. certificate from some reliable firm either east or west; promised to be around next year and replace any failures; he won your good opinion, and although you had been caught before, and had firmly resolved you would never give another order, yet he talked so fair, and represented a firm that you knew; he had also sold to many of your neighbors, and showed their orders; and lastly he had the recommendation of the president of your Horticultural Society, and you thought you had a sure thing, and as you wanted some of the new Russian apples, you ordered ten at one dollar each; and as you had had poor luck with cherries, he persuaded you to try the " Utah Hybrid;" it was just the one to bear every year, loaded down with fruit in clusters like grapes; it seemed a wonder it had not been discovered before; you would try a few. As you had always failed in raising pears and he had a new stock on " the French root," on which pears would not blight, Eureka! now you thought was the time to go in on pears. The Alaska crab, he said was something wonderful, and so you thought as you saw it through glass, and although one dollar a tree was high, if they were bearing size, you could soon make that up in fruit. A few winter crabs, so nice in the spring; a " tree rose," a " strawberry tree," a half dozen " blue roses." As grapes were your favorite fruit, but on account of extra cares or labor you had not given them the proper attention at the right time, and had failed; and as he had the grape that needed no protection, and would load down with fruit even if not pruned, and so many prominent nurserymen of Wisconsin had recommended it, you took a dozen; they were to be bearing size and you were to pay a good price; and then there was that white grape, you had heard so much about and had never been able to find it, " as hardy as the Clinton, as great a bearer as the Concord, and the fruit would keep all winter;" a dozen of them would not be too many. Now a look at his jars convinced you that if such gooseberries, currants, plums and strawberries can be raised, and here is the proof, why, you will take some of the gooseberries that will not mildew; cur- rants that the currant worm will not eat; some of the plums the curculio will let alone; and if strawberries as big as apples can be grown like that, why, set me down for one hundred, not even ask- ing the price; such a chanoe you might not have again. Now you are through; but wife wants a few roses, shrubs, bulbs, shade trees and evergreens, and the order is finished and signed; too much in- Addeesses — Humbugs. 151 a [hurry to carry out and add it up, but you have only ordered what you want, and as the trees are not to come till fall, it does not matter. Fall comes; one cold spell, no trees yet, but here comes a notice; you go to town; find a man delivering a lot of trees and bundles, all about in the wind and sun. This is not the man you bought of, but he shows you your orders all footed up now, and it scares you; the bundle is so small marked for you that you refuse to take it, but you now take a memorandum of the order and talk it over with your wife; she thinks that all those things were talked of, and after consulting a lawyer, you conclude to take the bundle. It has not improved any by lying two days in the wind and sun. After you get home and compare the bill and bundle, you find the Russian trees all look just alike, although they have ten different names on them; the Alaska crabs are just little riding whips, " bearing size " truly! and they look like a kind that you have already; the " Utah cherries," about one foot high, and the " French pears," they too must be dwarfs, only two feet high; the tree rose and strawberry tree, wonderful, just six inches high; the blue roses look as though they always would be blue, and the grapes, " bearing size," about the size of a knitting needle, "need no protection!" I guess they will not only need protection now, but a good deal of nursing; and the plums, why the curculio could never find them; but here comes a little wad marked " strawberries, one hundred," what a little bundle for twenty-five dollars. Who ever heard of strawber- berries at twenty-five dollars per hundred. They must be the hen's egg kind! "Shade trees," four feet high; what a shadow! " Ever- greens," one foot; how they will break the wind next winter! Well, the bundle is sorted and the trees must be set out. As you cut the roots they look as if they had been frosted, but it is too late to cry for spilt milk; the trees are set, a portion of the bundle is put in the cellar to dry up, and the result will be, what few things live will bear anything but what they are marked; the strawberries are a little sour berry, the Russians are all some worthless apple; Alaska crab, alas! alas! the tree looks like Briar's Sweet. This is but a faint description of what is transacted every day throughout the country. The unknown, irresponsible tree tramp will persuade you he is working for such a firm, and will buy up worthless stock anywhere he can find it cheapest; fill the orders; 152 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. the labels and orders will correspond, no matter what the trash filled in; the most experienced cannot always tell what the stock is, and by the time you can prove anything, where is your tree tramp? Occasionally, one gets locked up for forging orders. Pity they all did not. Instances have come to my knowledge where June roses worth one shilling have been sold in Madison for $2.50 each; where one hundred Plumb's Cider apple trees were sub- stituted with three kinds and not a Cider; where Alaska crabs were sold for one dollar apiece and Briar's Sweet, without labels were substituted. The last sell I have seen on new " early Rus- sian," is a plate of Red Astrachan. Not a bad sell, if they would put in good trees at a shilling, and have them marked, and the true Red Astrachan. Four of our best stand-bys are Russian, viz: Tetofski, Red Astrachan, Duchess of Oldenburg, and Alexander; but what about the nine hundred and eighty-eight varieties from Russia, disseminated by the department at Washington. Who is the man or men who will ever sift out the wheat from that pile of chaff? Let a monument be raised to his memory. I have received just thirty-two kinds of the nine hundred and eighty-eight, and after ten years careful investigation, even if they come to bearing, what will I know about their adaptation to different soils, hardi- ness, productiveness and quality? And where is our Russian school? Take, for instance, two names of the thirty-two just received, No. 430, Arkad Krugli Woskowoi; No. 458, Scholti Nalin. Who is going to be humbugged now? Nine hundred and eighty- eight chances on new Russians, and these are not yet in the hands of the itinerant tree peddlers. A few have already been so far tested in hardiness of tree, that we have hope of success, but their is not a man in our state who can tell the quality of five of these kinds. How often have we been deceived with our own new vari- eties after they have been tested for five years before receiving the prize, and then only proving valuable in a few locations. What have we been able to accomplish in the past twenty years? Turn to the Horticultural Report for 1876, page thirty; eighteen reports from as many different men and portions of the state, giving the lists of the most profitable ten varieties in the order of value, numbered from one to ten. They all have the Fameuse in their lists, eight of them as the first for profit. Fifteen have Duchess, but only five put it as No. 1 for profit. Twelve have Golden Rus- Addresses — Humbugs. 153 set, but only one puts it at the head of the list. Eleven have Tal- man Sweet; nine have Red Astrachan. Of the forty-one varieties named to make the list of ten, sixteen get only one vote each. The best resolution this society ever passed, was the one recom- mending every man to look about him and select those varieties that are successful on soil and exposure like his own. I know of a practical horticulturist who, after years of trial, has settled down on Duchess, Fameuse and Early Rose potatoes for apples; no pears, no plums, no cherries. Hislop and Transcendent for crabs. He wisely trusts the potato to supply all failures in the trees. In reading up the report for Maine, I am much amused to learn that the tree peddler has been selling them " Pewaukee, Haas and Walbridge as new Russians," the scions directly imported. As they have had ten to twenty years experience with apple on crab roots, they unite, in pronouncing them a humbug; " dwarfing the tree and dying at an early age." The leading swindlers claim that the reason trees grown on crab roots cost so much, is because they pay three dollars per bushel for the wild crab seed. Perhaps some of you would like to invest in a new thing; the pie plant, hybridized with the peach, giving to the pie plant the peach flavor; roots one dollar and fifty cents, and warranted, re- placed at half price. Another sharp agent will find out where your best trees came from, and then he is furnishing from that very place. There is no end to their ways, tricks, and the new and wonderful fruits and plants they have just imported. Take the pear humbug; in just one place in Wisconsin, I be- lieve pear trees have paid first cost. Outside the influence of Lake Michigan, I know of but one tree as a success, and before that tree dies, I want its history to be put on record, so that if the poor thing dies, its good works may stand a monument forever. That tree is a Flemish Beauty, planted in the town of Spring Valley, Rock county, Wisconsin, by Rev. D. Alcott, in 1857; commenced bearing in 18G6; has borne pears by the bushel for six years, and in less quantity for four years more; sold at two dollars and twenty- five cents to seven dollars per bushel. Amount sold, fifty dollars and thirty cents. In 1871, it furnished for market, five bushels. This is besides what have been used and eaten by the family and admiring friends. It is needless to add that it stands in clay soil and has not been highly cultivated. 154 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. Take the plum humbug; put your finger on a kind that is relia- ble. Where are the friends of the Hinkley? and oh! where is the "Wild Goose?" It is a good thing to plant cherries; for one year in three you may get enough to make the birds happy; if you sell any, or at- tempt to can any, you are liable to the penalty of the law for " Cru- elty to Birds." While currants can be bought annually at one dollar per bushel, they will pay the consumers, but I would rather contract to fur- nish fifty bushels of raspberries or strawberries at the same price than currants. In the small fruits you are liable to humbug yourself. You buy a choice kind and give it extra care; its success will lead you into error, for as soon as you put it along side of the old sorts, and give it like care, it fails. Of the ten thousand new varieties that have originated in the last twenty years, what strawberry can equal the Wilson? There are many who are claiming the position for some favorite, but take the fact that the Wilson has never been planted, or cared for, but it has paid, on all soils and every location, and with all kinds of treatment; and it has fruited at the rate of five bush- els to the square rod, yielding twenty- five quarts to a single pick- ing to the square rod. This was done last summer on a bed bearing its third crop, after the severe frost and without irrigation. As I am a humbug (that is what my wife says), my foreman is ready to testify to these facts; but as you may still think there is some humbug about it, I will state that J. F. Morse and I. L. Jenks, years ago on a strife, produced, the first, five bushels on a square rod, and the last, four bushels and a half. The new varieties that have come to the front in the last five years promise to beat the Wilson, some in quantity, many in size and quality. The Great American has produced the past season a strawberry measuring fourteen and one-half inches in circumference, and on the origina- tor's ground, one hand picked twenty-two quarts of this variety in twenty minutes; but it is is not doing anything like as well as this elsewhere. It needs high culture, clay soil, in hills. Of the com- parative merits of thirty varieties, I can tell you by the fourth of July next, as I have over half a million plants in nice condition for fruit. In raspberries there is about the same field for humbug as in strawberries. I would not advise any one to invest over a hun- dred dollars a vearin new fruit. Addresses — Humbugs. 155 If you want practical experience in any department of horticul- ture, go to the man who combines practice, theory, common sense and honesty. Be very cautious when you approach a nurseryman. Believe one half of what you see, one-third what you hear, one- fourth that comes second handed, and nothing you cannot trace to an authentic source. These nurserymen are a set of humbugs. One of the best ones I know of in the state acknowledges this, and wants me to write him up "aisy." If I were to order anything of him, I should examine and see if it was not black-hearted, root- frozen, blighted, stunted, grafted on crab stock, full of the eggs of the canker worm, bark bursted, and frozen to death. All things being right, I should then probably set it out in a poor place, give it no mulch, never hoe it, and then lay all the blame on this poor nurseryman. After all, there is a humbug bump in the Yankee's make up, and he rather likes it. You offer him something risky and the more so the better he bites; he wants a chance to beat his neighbors, beat himself, beat the world and all the rest of mankind. If he don't beat, he likes everybody to believe he does, even if he is a humbug. Every man has his hobby, and carried too far this becomes a hum- bug, no matter whether it is crabs or cranberries, grapes or gos- lings, pigs or pickles, fairs or fizzles, men or monkeys, mules or donkeys. I suggest that this joint convention, before it adjourns, do appoint, for each assembly district throughout the state, a "Fool Killer." Mr. A. F. Hofer, of Iowa — The gentleman mentions one hum- bug in the high school of Janesville; he said they went so far as to make the children go barefoot. I do not consider that a humbug at all. I believe it would be a great deal better for many of them, if their fathers would keep them at home and let them go barefoot on their farms, so they would learn to earn a living in an honest way instead of studying humbug, and humbugging their neighbors afterwards. If they would go barefoot on the farm, it would de- velop the feet, so when any humbug came on the farm they could give him a good send-off. Mr. Plumb — We would all like to talk on this point, but our Horticultural Society had a brief discussion on this subjest, and put their views in the form of a resolution, which I will read, as expressing the Horticultural Society's sentiments on this subject. 15»3 Wisco35eh State HoETicn-TTEAi. Society. u JSesoived, That all nurserymen who send out agents, should in all sea expect to be fully and strictly resp onsible for all the rej as, and to fully meet all the contracts made by "Second, that tree-planters should, as a means of self-prote:- tion, demand of ail who may solicit their orders for trees, unques- tionable proof that they are the authorized agents of some reliable r. ur-f-vman, and that such nurseryman will hold himself strictly re- sponsible for all the representations of such agent. ' ; Third, that tree-planters may reasonably look for all things that ue really valuable in this climate, in the leading nurseries of the country, rather than in the hands of irresponsible traveling can-risers, and that it may be taken as prima facie evidence of fraud, when scarcity or extraordinary qualities or excellence is claimed for them, or when for the same cause exorbitant prices are for their products. '• Fourth, that newspapers throughout the west would protect their readers from swindlers, and advance the canse of horticulture, - ■ l '...-.. -.~ '. r ; : res:".ut::- = ." Mr. A. J. Phillips — I do not think we ought to pass this humbug paper without discussion. There has been a great deal of decep- tion practiced throughout the country on farmers and others in re- gard to selling fancy stock at fancy prices. T think we ought to go slow in disputing what Mr. Kellogg says on horticulture, because he spei : ; _ rfc ereof he knows. I have talked with a nurseryman re- cently wh: is spending a great deal of time, and I think in the end is going to work out a great thing for the west, in experimenting with Russian apples. Perhaps it will never pay him, but he is en- thusiastic. Anvthins' that has " Russian ? ' to it, he is enthusiastic about. He is enthu- about I n turnips, and if there were Russian potatoes he would buy them. He tells me, in Russia, where men go long distances in the winter on sledges, there are places put up where travelers can stop to warm; if they do not, their eyes will freeze up. In places it is so cold that if you pour water on the ground it will freeze before it gets there; and the apples and pears that are going to be introduced in this country, are from this cold climate. Thev have varieties with buds resemb- ling a hickory bud, very large, and encased in a number of layers. You must all look out for such things. Addresses — Humbugs. 157 Speaking of substitution, I think there is a great deal of harm done in that way. I was speaking with a gentleman a short time ao-o; I think it was in reference to selling the Alaska crab, -which has had a great run through this country. He said when they filled his order they substituted Astrachan and Briar Sweet for it. I told him I did not think there was any nurseryman that had the cheek to do that. "Yes," he said, "there's a man in Janesville by the name of Kellogg that did it. Mr. Field — There have been a great many ideas suggested by this paper of Mr. Kellogg's, and he gives us a great deal on that subject every year, but I want to ask Mr. Kellogg and this conven- tion if it does not do us good sometimes to be humbugged; if it does nut sharpen us in business transactions. If a man can come on to my farm and humbug me, and do it handsomely, I like to have him do it. He cannot do it the second time. It makes me sharper. It makes me more suspicious of these very individuals. It sets me to thinking. I say to myself, "If another man coxes along, as one did last summer, and says, ' Have you been troubled with these tree peddlers?' ' Xo, sir, I have not.' 'Has not one called on you?' 'Yes, there has been a dozen here, but I do not allow them to trouble me. I am glad to see you all; I am glad to talk with you, and I think I know what I want. If you have got what I want now, I will buy it of you; if you have not, 1 won't. I think I know what I want.*' But there is too much of this humbug in the world. Go into a store in Madison, or anywhere else, and ask for a certain thing, and if the keeper has not got it, it is ten chances to one if the clerk does not say to you, " My dear sir, -we have not got that, but we have got something that will suit you better." I went into a store the other day -where they said so to me. I said, " I know what I want a great deal better than you do; if you have got that, show it to me, and if you have not, say so." Of course he said he had not got it. Now we who live in the country, and have no opportunity of buying what we want except of these men you call tramps, ought to know -what we want. If we do not, it is all right to get bit once in a -while. It will make us sharper. I do not blame Mr. Plumb or Mr. Kellogg, or anybody else, for going out and selling what they have got, if they do it fairly and honestly, and do not bring around their fruits in jars that magnify forty or fifty times, like the jar with Judge Bryant's gold-fish in, 158 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. in the other room. If you go on one side you think it is a whale, but on this side it is a little fish about an inch long. Everybody ought to know, if they open the jars, it would be impossible to be deceived. I knew one man who asked if he might open the jar. * l Oh, no, it would spoil the fruit." "Well," he said, " by , I will open it," and he took his jack-knife and knocked the top right off, and there it was, a common kind of fruit magnified two, or three, or four times. We want to know what we want, and when it comes, buy it. Mr. Kellogg — It is a good thing for brother nurserymen to pitch into each other, but this remark of Mr. Phillips, I do not know where he got it. I never had an order for an Alaska crab except from a man in Illinois, and I never saw one except in the tree journals; never sent out a tree labeled that, and never furnished another in its place, except to this man from Illinois, who took some Briar Sweet when he could not find the Alaska, crab, and put it into the bill without any label. He took tbe trees from my nursery, and paid me about ten cents a tree, and he filled his bill out without my knowing anything about the orders. BLIGHT. By B. F. ADAMS, Madisox. It is perhaps unwise to write on a subject I do not fully under- stand, but this task is cheerfully undertaken, with a hope that the members of this society may have some texts to explain, and theories to verify or explode in relation to blight. These are not original with me, being mainly a compilation of theories as to its cause, and remedies prescribed by those who claim to have more or less thoroughly investigated the subject. The writers are num- erous; the theories of the cause various, and the remedies legion. In ransacking some twenty volumes of horticultural and agricultural periodicals, covering as many years, I have not noted all who have written on this subject, but have discovered that they are widely scattered over our country, and uniformly agree only on one or two points, principally that blight is very destructive to fruit trees, es- pecially the pear. The prime causes are asserted to be atmospheric Addresses — Blight. 159 influences, drouth, wet soil, parasitic fungi, diseased roots, in- sect work, zymotic fungus, rich soil, contagion propagated from diseased quince trees, electrical action, freezing of unripe wood, mechanical action, etc. After learning that so many causes produced blight, I was somewhat discouraged. As late as 1875, a writer who signs himself W. B. Smith, boldly asserted that "it is a disease we know nothing about. Twenty-five years ago there were many who knew a great deal about it, but they have all dis- appeared." Many who do not pretend to know the cause of blight, prescribe remedies for it. These sum up pretty heavily from all sources, and number as follows: Starve the trees, slit the bark, cut off blackened limbs and burn them, salt the roots, use lime and sulphur wash, whitewash the trees, dig trenches around them every three or four years, three feet deep, cutting off the outer roots, and then throw the earth back into the trenches (big job for a lazy man); prune the tops severely, use turpentine and lamp black, apply lin- seed oil to the trunks and limbs, scatter lime and ashes under the trees, scrape off the dead bark and apply caustic soda, bore a hole with a two-inch auger, fill it with salt and sulphur and put in a plug. This last remedy was recommended with the strongest assurance by somebody, but I never have tried it, believing that the two-inch auger remedy, to say the least, might injure small trees, notwith- standing the virtues of sulphur for destroying fungus. It is always cheering in emergencies to have one man appear who knows just what to do, like him who told old Sparrowgrass, when the latter's horse broke through the ice into a mill pond, that he knew exactly what to do to get the horse out of that misery, and when bidden to do it, deliberately took his gun and shot the animal. In consulting authorities on blight, it is proper to mention the most learned and intelligent. The American Pomological Society in 1871 appointed a committee to study this subject, collect infor- mation and report two years thereafter. In their report they men- tion several kinds of blight: first, that caused by sterility, easily remedied by fertilizing; second, " blight caused by zymotic fungus, whose presence is not detected until life is destroyed in the affected parts." This is the kind I had in mind when I commenced to write this article. Thinking that this report must unravel the mystery of blight, judge of my surprise when this able committee announced that they had arrived at no satisfactory conclusion as to 11 — Hort. So. 160 "Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. the peculiarity of soil and temperature that induce the favorable- conditions for the development of this fungus vegetation. Two years ago, in company with a New Jersey fruit grower, I visited some pear orchards in central New York that were perishing from blight. He remarked, as he viewed the dying trees, " an insect is the prime cause of all this destruction." In response to my request to show me how the work is performed, he took a sharp knife and shaved off the bark from the discolored spots, and pointed out a minute hole, well defined, extending through the bark and into the wood, apparently made by a worm. We found this in most of the spots examined, but the depredator we did not find. Our friend observed, in conclusion: "notwithstanding what all our horticultural writers and philosophers say on this subject to the contrary, it is certainly the work of an insect that ravages in one place for a while, destroying pear trees especially, and disappears, only to reappear in other localities. Hence, the pest only comes at intervals, and rather lengthy intervals, in some instances; but is much more de- structive within a brief space of time than those that injure our apple orchards." He declared that " Downing's Fruit and Fruit Trees of America" contained all that had yet been discovered on the subject of blight. The trees we examined were mostly Flem- ish Beauty and Bartlett. One Seckel pear tree, loaded with fruit, stood uninjured among one hundred trees of other varieties, all alike growing in sod ground. I inquired of my friend why that was left; he replied that the bark and wood were tougher than the other kinds, but it was not certain that it would remain uninjured, as no variety of pear trees was exempt from attack. In this connection let me quote a brief statement, taken from The Germantown Telegraph of 1878: "S. F. Folsom states that himself, a neighbor, and Prof. T. B. Lovett, of Attica Collegiate Institute, with magnifying glasses have brought to light one unmis- takable cause of deadly blight in pear trees. The tree is poisoned by an insect that bores through the bark from one-fourth to one- half inch into the wood, a hole about the size of a small pin hole; as the sap arises and descends it poisons and discolors the wood. Remedy: slitting the bark each side and through it with a knife. ' r In examining some forty or fifty articles on blight, in search of information, I found this remarkable statement made by Mr. Engle, of Van Buren county, Mich.: "I planted, fifteen years ago, one Addresses — Blight. 161 thousand pear trees, 975 of which now look like the abomination of desolation; cause, blight. Twenty-five have fully met my expectations, and these were planted not far away from the others, but in a peach orchard, and are all healthy, save one Flemish Beauty slightly blighted two years ago," What influence these peach trees have had in preventing blight, is a greater mystery to me than blight itself. Mr. Engle has no theory, but thinks perhaps they absorb some element from the soil hurtful to pear trees. He has faith enough to plant one hundred and fifty more in his peach orchard. The peach tree remedy will not be tried exten- sively in Wisconsin, as it would certainly bring up the cost of rais- ing pears to the Kellogg standard. Believing that pears can be grown in this state, if we can protect the trees from this great scourge, or arrest its progress when it appears, I hope that this society will work with others in investigating the cause or causes, that produce it, and also in testing such remedies as seem adapted to cure the disease. It is not more common nor destructive now at the west, than in other parts of the country celebrated for fruit growing. The localities I visited two years ago had been exempt, from blight. How long pear trees have been grown there, I c J&1> . not state, as the general settlement of the region dates back gey— enty years or more. Nearly twenty years ago I planted a £ ew dwarf trees, Flemish Beauty and Bartlett, on high pr ^ r j e ]; an( j. they grew and flourished for a while, bore fruit three ^j mes . after having passed the winter of 1864; but the blight < jatne an( j they perished. I tried to doctor them by cutting off_ ^ ead limits and burning them, applied salt and ashes to the ^ anh oVer the rootg) but only one appeared to make spasmodic e' /" 5x4X1 HOEXICTXTTEAI. SoCLETT. ::* our own growing ~-'~ from the Duchess and the CIt- and later from the Wealthy and a seedling crab. Tie greater ■ :::on of all U :;: are now in bearir.r. s:xe three hor - re in nnmbei :hey average in : ."all tibet than H si :p or Trans xo lent, and nine of them well ~ of : _ .ll bring a first- price in any mi -".-. t, and in sea- son from first of An g ■ s : b E rsl ::" January, and in tree, a".. rdy ■a onr native oaks. "^ T r Bare had quite a number :;' seedling come into gatJbnryeaa :'rom thr seed; nore at r r the great mass at six. and bat few jjd u ast - bse thout fruit .ng. The g e nera l a^e-igr ia |nality and size ::' Emit Erani the above :: i ~ t _ " " _ • r : r ; ~ .. -. a : : -_: : . r » a ~ r : :' : : . r :. . :. r : e ? t. t _ -. . ; : _ e 5 5 gave four, the crab seei\ ng three, the Wealthy and cherry crab one each, with nearly an T,ual number of trees of each Bet. The '_-::-- je: : ::~r '.;. :::~ .ate: z.a:.: :;• : .' Srr_ -.::.:- t: thousands, all the product ::* a great va : ourv^ »st : A., the Erst planting af our own growing of seed was from har j ------ - : tier, fall or early winter, sc . . « pre - - ger 1 . - that bloomed and fruited : t:~e, a~i the result -_: _ ri the more tender to have e crab need, es . f of the forthcoming Beed- e " ies thongs ia appearance perfeet :ee, r trees were u from the same lot ol ■thongii many of them z- re I -t-der surroundings in E .:' Emit, and < i so in regard to the Blue P anai::. a tree g as m the crab rothei per-' rodueed fro nt a era I, so Ear a* tree size of .' time of ripening. The great I r near the I parent were takr" - Ben g i four to I ud bat c wing a greater deviation, that a era! . € ght or ten weeki tend- eason to 1 Therefore, seeing :he seedling to rij or nea- apple from which the "^as » progra i - _• to the cross with our most hardy to give une tii ain the e law us Addresses — Varities of Apples. 201 only early apples from the seed of early ones. At the outset we don't expect every seedling will prove perfectly hardy and of the best quality of fruit, but expect again — some ironclads in tree, with first-class fruit. The process by which to attain the hoped-for results, you see, is through the natural flow of pollen, a hardy variety so instilling its nature into the seed of the less hardy long-keepers as to make the forthcoming seedling as hardy as a crab. For we find that the common apple has the same influence on the crab that the crab has on the common apple, each through their pollen reproducing them- selves in the seedlings of the other. Thus from the same lot of crab seed, grown in close proximity to tender varieties of large apples, we find some of the trees prove tender, though perfect crab in form of tree, while in others the tender variety reproduced itself in the outward form of the tree and in the size of the fruit, yet the tree in constitution and quality of fruit is a perfect crab. And thus through various crosses we were enabled to solve the problem as to how we can get a first class of apples in succession the year through. We find in our crossbred seedlings the range of deviation to be almost boundless, no two alike in tree and fruit, and no two alike in size, color, form, season and quality of fruit, so that every tree is a distinct variety; only in one instance did a seed reproduce the parent in all particulars, and that was a cherry crab. The nearest we find an approach to a fixed law in the reproduc- tion from seed is in the time of ripening, the parent apple from which the seed was taken governing the season. And therefore, in the management of the state experimental orchard, we insert no variety, late or early, but of best quality, thereby avoiding all chances of deterioration in quality of fruit, and at the same time and by the same means hope to combine in one apple more good qualities than have been yet attained; for such a seed-growing orchard as we have inaugurated was never before set in motion. We set alternately in row, a tree of a hardy variety and a long keeper; the long-keeper not being perfectly hardy, we top-graft with our hardy seedlings, which mature their wood and stop their sap flow early, thereby compelling the artificial late growing variety on top to ripen up for winter. Yet it is not every variety that can by this process be made hardy enough to withstand our most 202 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. extreme winters, but enough, of first class in quality of fruit can be had to answer our purpose in the pursuit of more and better the year through. The experimental orchard is intended as a lasting institution. It is designed to cull out and insert better varieties as better are found or developed in the lapse of time. Every year the seed is to be carefully saved and planted, each variety to be carefully labeled, and the results carefully noted, as each tree, or set of trees, come into bearing. The orchard contains 745 trees, grafted and set last spring, and it will require some ten years to see any results from it, as these trees have first to fruit, and the seed therefrom to grow into trees and develop their qualities of fruit. Mr. Smith — Are there many new apples coming out in Minne- sota that promise to be of any value? Mr. Gideon — Not many as yet. There are some in the southern portion of the state that have got some little note, that are not known to have any crab in them, but whether they will succeed when taken out of that immediate vicinity, is a question. There is a certain portion of Minnesota, around Winona, where they appear to be able to grow anything that they plant, and these new seed- lings are mostly in that neighborhood; not yet tested outside. Mr. Smith — The Wealthy is the best of anything you have. Mr. Gideon — The Wealthy is the best in size and appearance of anything that I have grown. I have some others as good in quality as the Wealthy, and fully as good and perhaps a little bet- ter, in training. Mr. Phillips — I have understood that the state of Minnesota has an experimental farm, and they have taken this matter in hand, to have these seedlings cultivated for the benefit of the people in the state, and see if they can produce an apple that is adapted to the climate. I think Mr. Gideon has been appointed fruit commis- sioner of the state, and that they have appropriated a thousand dol- lars for the purpose of making these experiments. I think it would be well for him to explain just what course the state has taken. Perhaps it may induce our people to help our horticulturists a little. Mr. Gideon — The state has purchased one hundred and sixteen acres adjoining my farm, and on that the experimental orchard is situated. I have charge of it. They pay me one thousand dollars Addresses — A Plea for Tree Planting. 203 a year to run the concern. I furnish all the stock and all of the labor out of that amount. The expectation is for me to run it un- til the results are fully ascertained; I footing all bills and furnish- ing all stock, and putting in whatever I deem best. That is what has taken me out this winter to look around through Wisconsin and Iowa to find if there was anything better than I have on hand; anything really desirable in the orchard. I think from the condi- tion of things, and the climate, that anything that will succeed there, will succeed anywhere in the northwest. I suppose there is not a more severe portion of Minnesota for tree culture than right through the center. This orchard is situated on a high point at the lake shore, seventy feet, probably, above the water, and at a point where there can be no neighboring orchard set that can pos- sibly influence it. It is the only point, probably, in the state that ■would be really suitable for the purpose and exempt from all danger of being interfered with by other orchards. It is a matter that the whole northwest is really interested in, and it is my opinion that other states would do well to take part in it, because seed can be grown there in sufficient quantities to furnish the whole north- west without any enhanced cost over and above the thousand dol- lars per year. Mr. Kellogg — I would like to ask if there is anything besides apples connected with the experiment. Mr. Gideon — We will have a pear orchard set there in the spring, but so far as the growing of seed is concerned, the apple orchard is the only thing. I will state that I am setting several acres of other truck, pears, grapes and other things, but there will be no apple trees of any kind set except in that orchard. The following letter on Forestry from Dr. Warder, was read: A PLEA FOR TREE PLANTING. JNO A. WARDER, M. D., North Bexd, Ohio. Although a stranger to most of you, there are several who may consent to be addressed as friends, if only on account of parity of interest in the cause of our mistress; while other some will gra- ciously accept the salutation on the score of former consociation with 204: Wisconsin State Hokticultural Society. the writer. Then again, though it has not been his good fortune to see more than a very limited portion of your beautiful and most varied state, which is remarkable for the diversity of its surface and soil, enlivened by its prairies, lakes and timber tracts; nevertheless your absent friend will presume upon this occasion, from his far off home, to appear before you with some suggestions, cognate to some of the great interests that will occupy your attention at the ap- proaching joint meeting. Your kind reception upon a former occasion was forcibly brought up from the caverns of memory last winter, by a very pleasant meeting with a former secretary of your agricultural board, now the worthily honored governor of Wyoming. And while traversing together her extended grassy plains, gazing upon the beautiful for- ests of her mighty mountain chains and exploring their hidden treasures, our memories instinctively reverted to the times when together we had first met at your beautiful capital among the lakes. Your choice products, your fertile soil, and your men of mark and of industry were pleasantly passed in review, while resting from the fatigues of mountain exploration, and we could but wish that an exchange would be made between these so distant and differently situated regions. This being premised, you may wish to know what boon we desire you might receive from those distant mountains. Their gold and silver? No, indeed, but something that would contribute far more richly to your true welfare as an agricultural people — their trees! With about three and one-half million acres of woodland, twenty- nine and three-tenths per cent, of the entire area of your state, the more valuable pine forests are confined to a comparatively small part of the forest area; and the reckless greed of the lumbermen has sadly stripped the accessible portions of the woodland, while nothing has been done toward the increase, preservation or renewal of the syl- van wealth of the land, except what nature herself has accom- plished. But even her efforts have been sadly interfered with by the destructive fires that have been permitted to ravage the forests. True, the oak openings have grown up wonderfully since the set- tlement. To be sure, in the prairie regions you have, in self-defence been planting trees. This is well! Go on with the good work of embellishing your land, protecting yourselves, your cattle and your crops from the fierce winds, and in providing for yourselves and for Addresses — A Plea for Tree Planting. 205 your successors good supplies of fuel and lumber that will be needed when the present forests shall have been exhausted. Plant trees in the prairies and keep on planting! All your best efforts will be required, nor need you have any apprehensions that the planting will be over done. But you may improve on the quality of your planting, and it may be well to inquire into this. Your intelligence and the result of your observations will be trusted to guide you to a satisfactory result. Even in the timber counties you may vastly improve in the quality of the trees. In traversing the southeastern portion of your state, especially in the regions where the drift formation is largely developed, and rises into long slopes, the traveler is struck with the remarkable effect produced by the frequent planting of lines of tall trees, that have been introduced as wind-breaks. Though generally set in single rows, these trees undoubtedly exert a happy influence in breaking the force of the winds; but, let it be asked, do you not need something better than this foreign tree? Do you not desire to plant something that will be more valuable, and if so, let us consider the propriety of supplementing these with some of the beautiful, the hardy native evergreens. The Lombardy poplar has been to you, what the Cottonwood still is to the newer states beyond the great river, the pioneer. This poplar is from Europe; introduced into our continent in the last century, it has widely and rapidly spread over the land; it is no novelty. In all southern Europe it is frequently seen in long ave- nues by the roadside, where it is frequently cut back for its brush. In many of our soils it is a short lived tree, yielding poor fuel and inferior lumber; useful, however, for some purposes in the arts. To show how it is appreciated by European foresters, the fol- lowing quotation is made from one who stands very high in the pursuit of this important industry. My good friend Siemoni, in his Manual of Practical Forestry, says "that it is considered only a variety of the Populus nigra, or common black poplar of Eu- rope, from which it is distinguished by its pyramidal orfastigiate habit, by its larger leaves with greater transverse diameter, by their deltoid and pointed form, with larger and more compressed petioles. " "This tree never produces any but male flowers, and of course no seed is ever seen, so that it is certain that the Lombardy can be nothing but a form (sport) of Populus nigra which has acciden- 206 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. tally come from seed, and -which, on account of its beauty and other good qualities, has been largely propagated. "The tree is increased by cuttings. It grows rapidly, and in twenty five or thirty years it attains the height of thirty metres •with a diameter of one metre*. It is said to live a century, but this is doubtful, as its wood after twenty-five or thirty years rapidly •decays and becomes useless.f This classical tree was thus referred to by Ovid in the fourth book of his epistles fromPontus: " Vos quoque felices, quarum clamantia fratrem Cortice velavit Populus ora novo." The fable of Ovid made the ambitious youth Phaston sick to drive the fiery steeds of Phoebus; he found them unmanageable; they ran away, came too near the earth, set northern Africa on fire, producing the desert of Sahara, and curdled or dried up the blood of the negroes. Jupiter struck Phaeton with two of his bolts, which destroyed him, and his remains fell into the river Po, whence the water nymphs rescued them, and he was decently interred on the banks. There his sisters lamented him unconsolably untilJove pityingly transformed them, as set forth by the poet, into poplar trees; and there have they ever since continued to grow and flourish. This history is not without instruction in the consideration of some of the questions of vegetable physiology, that often present themselves at our horticultural meetings, and still more frequently to the thoughtful ones when engaged in their practical labors among plants, and will help to dispel the dogmatic dicta which are so often cited, and have even been accepted as truths: such as the running out of varieties, and that plants cannot be indefinitely produced from sections, or cuttings, grafting, etc., as though these processes were inimical to the species or variety. Now here is a seedling (in habit a sport), from the normal form as we now believe (though described and long considered a species), which has been grown by cuttings for twelve centuries, at least since immortalized by the ancient poet in the eighth century. * A metre equals thirty-nine and a fraction inches. f Manuale-Teorico-Practico D'Arte Forestale, p 136, di Giovanni Carlo Siemoni, Inspector General of the Forests of Italy. Addresses — A Plea for Tree Planting. 207 Among our native trees there are many which will undoubtedly succeed in your soils. The several white oaks should receive your care. The ash, particularly the .white ash ; the green, which abounds in your latitude, though not without value, cannot com- pare with it in size. The hickories, \ though slow, are invaluable, and with the best species of oaks, may be planted with other kinds of quicker growth that can be removed to make way for the more valuable crop. Some of the elms, especially the slippery and the hickory elms, are of quick growth, and very useful as hard woods. Of maples, plant especially the true sugar-trees, and the red maple. The wild cherry (black), or (Primus serotina), particularly on light and open soils, is very promising. In proper soils the tulip tree and the walnuts should be planted, notwithstanding the length of time required to bring them to maturity. Of conifers, in your northerly climate, and especially on the lighter gravelly knolls, even toward the north, you may confidently plant the larch of Europe, but not in low, wet ground, nor in the tamarack swamps occupied by its American cousin. But you have with you one who will sing its praises and tell you much better how well it thrives, at St. Francis. Of true evergreens, your atten- tion is particularly directed to the native white pine, which should be planted by the million on your northern and western borders for forest purposes, and then protected, though its beauty and its great power of adaptation especially fit it for ornamental planting every- where, even in the prairies. The red pine is a noble tree and should be largely used both in for- est and in parks. Of foreign pines, perhaps the Scotch pine may safely be recommended everywhere. Among the spruces, particu- larly valuable as a windbreak, the Norway is strongly recommended, on account of its rapid growth and its hardiness, and the closeness of its spray. The hemlock is one of the most beautiful evergreens we have for ornamental planting, whether singly set upon the lawn, in clusters as windbreaks, or in lines as shelter hedges; less valu- able as a timber tree. "But, Doctor, did you see any of these in the Rocky mountains, to make you think of us here in Wisconsin? " somebody may ask. No, my friends! but their allies and conge- ners, the leaders of that mountain sylva. The Pinus ponderosa, Jfexilis, and contorta, the spruces, 3fenziesii, Douglasii, and En- (jlemamii, and the fir, grandis, which there attained such noble 14 — Hort. So. 20S Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. proportions on the rocky elevations, often approaching the line of perpetual snow, are so beautiful and so hardy they did Tndeed make us feel solicitous that our friends in the low lands of Wiscon- sin and otherwheres, should have the opportunity to enjoy their grace of form and color; so we then and there thought of you; in the natural revulsion of the human mind, turning from the high to the low, from the mountain peaks and deep ravines, to the broad expanse of prairie, with its gentle swell; from the solitary mountain desert, to the happy homes of men, were our thoughts and best wishes transported on the wings of thought. And now, before closing this mental interview, this imaginary chat with my friend, who may feel it a preferred cup of Tantalus unless you were informed that these beautiful evergreens have at last been reduced to our service. From their wild estate, far off and far up, out of our reach, or, as rarities, beyond our ability to purchase, they have been brought in the seed, have been germi- nated by skilful hands, and on the soil of Illinois they are being schooled, and fitted for transportation and transplanting; and that in such numbers, that they will be within the reach of all tree- planters. For the experimental demonstration of their hardiness, their adaptation to fertile soils, and their susceptibility to civiliza- tion, we are indebted especially to the enterprise and liberality of our fellows of the Nebraska Horticultural Society. And now if your patience has led you to this, the last word, be entreated to look into the matter of forestry, to consider its import- ance, to study its laws and principles, to master its practice; in a word, to unite your forces, especially your knowledge and skill, with those who have undertaken to make a beginning in the foun- dation of an American Forestry, and allow your absent friend to subscribe himself, Yours in verderie, .Tno. A. Warder, AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL CONVENTIONS. Mr. J. M. Smith — Here is a resolution I want to bring before the convention before it adjourns, and while there is a good attendance. It is well known that a year ago, while we were in convention, it was found out that on our board of regents at the university there was not a single farmer; nearly the whole board was made up of lawyers. The convention then in session passed a resolution, Agricultural and Horticultural Conventions. 209 asking the governor to appoint some farmers upon that board, and it bore fruit very quickly. Our friend, Hiram Smith, was the next man appointed, and, as I believe, is a very satisfactory man, not only to farmers, but to everyone else. I have had conversation with him with regard to some means they have on hand, which I will call upon him to explain, after reading the following resolution. M Whereas, It is understood that the board of regents of the State University have under their control a sum of money that may be disposed of at their discretion, for the benefit of the agri- cultural and horticultural interests of the state; therefore, "Resolved, That the joint convention do request the board of regents to procure some suitable person or persons to hold meetings or conventions in different portions of the state, for the purpose of instructing the farmers in the different branches of agriculture and horticulture, and to appropriate such sum of money as is at their disposal, or as may be necessary, for the purpose of advancing the interests of agriculture in our state." I will call upon Mr. Smith to explain the situation and condition of matters. Mr. Hiram Smith — I would merely state that the question has been discussed before the board of regents, as we have a portion of the agricultural college fund at the disposal of the regents. Not- withstanding it has been said they are lawyers, they are gentle- men, and men disposed to do everything that is possible for the benefit of the country, and they are disposed to do what is feasible towards spreading agricultural knowledge. It has been suggested before their board, that, if a competent person was employed to'go into different localities, a local influence would be exercised equal, perhaps not in talent, but in numbers, to that present here, and perhaps more would be benefited by the truths and principles pro- mulgated, because we take it for granted that all who attend these meetings are pretty well posted; but in localities where they are lacking in much of the knowledge necessary to progress rapidly, they may be, and, I have no doubt would be, willing to bear a certain share of the expense that would be incurred. The State Agricultural Society and the State Horticultural Society, perhaps, would also furnish means and suitable persons to go at certain times, and in certain localities. The expense would not necessarily be much. The home meeting could be got up at home expense 210 "Wisconsin State Hokticultueal Society. altogether, and the traveling expenses of the professor or lecturer would be the main expense; and I think the board of regents •would be perfectly willing to co-operate with the State Agricultu- ral Society, or the State Horticultural Society, or the State Dairy- men's Association. It is being done in Michigan and in Pennsyl- vania, and, unless some such steps are taken, a very few years will find the majority of our farming population behind those of other states in intelligence, which would be mortifying and unnecessary. We have ample means and opportunities to become as intelligent an agricultural class as any people in the Union, and by merely putting in motion the means at our command, we may inaugurate a system that will lead to very beneficial results in all the different branches of agriculture. Mr. Field — I must say that I am very glad indeed to see such a resolution presented to this convention. It certainly meets my views most cordially. 1 think, however, it might be so amended as to include the Agricultural and Horticultural Society within its scope, that the board of regents might confer with them, and that it should be taken as a united work. It is possible, however, that it is well enough as it is. I fully agree with Mr. Smith that a little work and money devoted to this purpose may be made vastly bene- ficial to the agricultural interests of this state; and so far as the expense is concerned it need be but trifling. Notice could be given in advance through the representative agricultural papers of the different places where these meetings would be held, so that due notice could be given the masses of the people with very little expense; perhaps a few circulars distributed, thrown into their wagons, stating that there would be a meeting at a certain place at a certain time, and that certain topics would be discussed; the ex- pense would be trifling aside from those of traveling, and I have no doubt that if this board and the societies should desire that free transportation should be furnished them, that it would be furnished by all our leading lines of railroads to any reasonable number of parties who desired to attend those conventions, or at greatly re- duced fare, at least. In order that that matter may be talked over, I move that the resolution be referred to a committee of three, of which the mover, of course, shall be chairman, to make a report to be submitted to this meeting this afternoon. Motion carried. Addresses — Plant Development and Training. 211 This resolution was adopted. The chair appointed 'on the resolution offered by Mr. Smith, Messrs. James M. Smith, W. W. Field and A. A. Arnold. The committee reported the following resolution, which was adopted by the convention: " Whereas, It is understood that the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin have under their control a certain sum of money, a part of which may be used in their discretion for the ad- vancement of the various industries of the state; therefore, " JZesolved, That this joint convention requests the said Board of Regents to procure suitable persons to hold conventions in dif- ferent parts of the state, for the purpose of disseminating infor- mation of value to those engaged in the different branches of agri- culture and horticulture and other useful industries. ^Resolved further, That we request the presidents of the Agri- cultural Society, the State Horticultural Society, and the State Dairymen's Association, to confer with said Board of Regents, and aid, so far as possible, the advancement of the objects sought to be attained." PLANT DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING. JONATHAN PERIAM, President Northern Horticultural Society of Illinois. In all the departments of agriculture, whether in husbandry, stock-breeding, pomology, gardening, floriculture, arboriculture, and even in landscape gardening, the province of the successful opera- tor is to assist nature in the development of plants or objects for use, or the gratification of the senses. I propose, this evening, to inquire into something of plant development, and the art of so training as to produce the best results with the means at hand. So far as mere development is concerned, we have only to look about us everywhere, where wild forms of our more common fruits, flow- ers and vegetables are found, and witness for ourselves the won- derful modifications that have been brought about by successful cultivation, through longer or shorter spaces of time, according to the nature of the plant to be operated on, or the skill and care of operators. 212 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. It is supposed by many that these changes are sudden. Never- theless, it is a fact that they are exceedingly slow. "We see a seed- ling fruit, the product of a mass of seedlings, inferior to the pres- ent fruits, with perhaps a solitary exception. This, however, assumes a different habit of growth, and as to the fruit, superior perhaps, and yet not so much so but that the expert can often trace its parentage. So, at rare intervals, a twig or branch will sport, and assume variegated leaves, and these, with care, may be perpetuated. On the other hand, under careless treatment or neglect, a variety will, in a short time, revert toward the original type, and in fact soon become worthless for all practical purposes. Now it is not the fact that this change in habit and character is sudden; in fact, it has been going on for a long time, gradually, perhaps, for many years before it has been brought up to, or near, the standard of per- fection; often with an accelerating speed, as the years pass, and suddenly, certain conditions having been accomplished, we perhaps see peculiar changes to our ordinary senses, and perhaps startling results. In vegetables, we may witness certain effects, produced in a sin- gle season, and by simple means — compost, high tillage and plenty of moisture with a proper heat for the plant. As a rule, the leaf development is in direct ratio to the root development, and vice versa/ for one is in almost direct proportion to the other. Take a turnip, for instance. Development there has been in a vastly increased store of material in its fleshy root. Cut a cross section and you can almost, if not really, count the leaves it has borne. It seems as if the base of each leaf had been continued below the crown, and there expanding, had swollen in the most wonderful manner. In the cabbage — belonging to the same class of plants — we see the process reversed; the nutriment has been stored in the leaves above ground. Why? To enable them to perfect growth, another season in the ripening of the seed. This is nature's ultimate end. Man steps in and appropriates it to his own use, at the half way stage. In the asparagus, the same general principle is carried out in a different way. The crown below ground is en- larged, and the spring following, throws up thick stems, if the soil has been rich. Here again man steps in and appropriates it, but at a later stage than the preceding ones. The potato is a good illus- tration of plants having what may be called a dual existence, in Addresses — Plant Development and Training. 213 fact being oviparous and viviparous, inasmuch as it produces seeds, and also young plants, from true buds, in its tubers. In this plant the true fruit, the seed, is not edible; is in fact poisonous to a certain degree. It is the starch, sugar and albuminoids contained in the flesh of the tuber, which is 'the valuable part. The straw- berry plant is still another illustration. It propagates itself both by seed and by runners; the runners in this case forming above ground, striking root and becoming independent plants. Here the seedy fruit is the valuable part. In those cases where propagation takes effect by stolens, runners, or buds, the young- lings are true to the parent variety. When propagated from the seed they are widely divergent. Those plants that reproduce themselves by seed, come constant as to their variety, or as a rule do so; those producing themselves by bud and seed, come univer- sally constant from the bud, and vary as to their seed production, and even from the same seed capsule. The onion is a still more complex example in its triune manner of reproduction. The scales of the bulb are simply enlarged leaves, on leaf bases, crowded around a central stem, but each with a possible bud in its axil. Here we have the young plant edible as to its leaves and ed- ible as to its mature bulbs. It is also seed bearing. It reproduces itself as to its central shoot, and there it is a passible plant in the axil of the scales. Some varieties of the onion do provide for per- petuation in this way; as the shallot, the English multiplier and the potato onion. Trees also are reproduced both from the bud and the seed. Theo- retically each bud is the germ of a future tree. It contains a fu- ture tree. Practically, in many varieties, it is easier to reproduce plants from seed than from the bud. In fact, if it were not for the singular habit of seed variation, in our valuable fruits long under cultivation, propagation by grafting or budding would scarcely be practiced. Fortunately, this seed variation has given us all that is valuable in fruits, and nearly so in plants and flowers. Within comparatively a few years, science has entered the field of repro- duction, and we may now hybridize, and cross breed through the flowers, with far greater certainty of success than formerly. Soil has much to do with the variations of fruits we may raise. Climate, however, has still more influence. A wide range of soils will allow of the production of many fruits. In Wisconsin I have 214 "Wisconsin State Horticultural Societt. observed some curious antagonisms in isothermal lines, or rather, to- be more precise, in the belt curves, adapted to some, at least, of the fruits natural to the state. The northern line of pear growth in "Wisconsin shows very distinctly the ameliorating effect of deep bodies of water and timber upon the climate, in the cultivation of fruit. This line running down from Green Bay, describes an arc to the south and west, leaving the state well toward the southwest. From thence it is deflected again, west and north, until the belt is at last lost in the Pacific ocean, well north in Oregon. This line is not indeed carried in uniform curved lines, or even moderately curved lines. Sheltered situations, peculiar soils, the vicinity of lakes, protecting bodies of timber, etc., carry it north, and the re- verse conditions carry it south. Its northern deflection is undoubt- edly due to the great outlying forests, which are well known to have a wonderful effect in modifying and tempering climates. The grape — those varieties possible to cultivate at all — is marked by a line contrary, or nearly so, to that of the pear. Commencing in the southeastern part of the state, it passes north and west toward Duluth, on Lake Superior. Now the same summer temperature that will ripen Dent corn, will ripen the Concord grape. But we have summer temperatures that will ripen the fruit, but the winters of the same locality, will kill the vine. Just here comes in the ques- tion of winter protection, in the successful development of certain plants. In relation to these fruit belts, we find two prime integers. A lower average summer temperature in the pear belt, and proba- bly a more congenial winter temperature, and a higher summer temperature along the grape belt, and undoubtedly a more severe winter temperature. At all events it is one of more severe fluc- tuations. We do not know, shall not, perhaps, soon know, the exact limits of fruit culture, nor how wide may be the distribution of fruits in the west. "What we especially need to know is the exact limits, as well as the exact capabilities of localities, and each individual location. Here each person must in a great measure judge for himself. Varieties vary as widely as location, and from the fact that they are influenced and modified by soil exposure and various other influences to which they must necessarily be exposed. From this we may easily see that each individual should not only be a^ careful reader of literature pertaining to his art and profession — Addresses — Plant Development and Training. 215 for agriculture, in its broad sense, is both an art and a profession — but he must be a close observer of nature as well. If to this he add the faculty of investigation and the will to experiment, so much the better for himself, and especially his fellow men. Time will not permit following this matter further, except to touch some of the points connected with fertilization, breeding to type, cross breeding, and hybridization. Fertilization is simply giving the power of reproduction, whether it be of a given variety or by the admixture of varieties. Breeding to type is the endeavor to so order the fertilization that tne produce shall follow some given type that may be wanted. Cross breeding is the bringing together of two individuals of the same genus or tribe, but with distinct characteristics. A hybrid is the product of two varieties belonging to the same order, but distinct from each other; as, among animals, the horse and the ass, or cattle and buffaloes; or, among plants, two species distantly related. With animals, however, we have noth- ing to do at present. Plants, as animals, may be hybridized, thus forming distinct families, or they may be cross bred upon those of the same genus; or, the branches of a family may be kept pure and unmixed, if care be taken in the fertilization and selection. This, however, is more the province of the experimenter or seedsman, than the ordinary cultivator. The embryo of a plant being once fertilized with the pollen of the same variety, is thereafter incapa- ble of taking up and assimilating with a kindred variety a beauti- ful example of the means used by nature to keep families and species distinct. But nature has gone further. According to Darwin, one of the most persevering, acute and laborious investigators, we have every reason to believe that blossoms upon which the pollen of kin- dred species have fallen — and the embryo of which would be fertil- ized thereby, if no other contact were had — have the power of rejecting this, if soon thereafter they receive the pollen of their own individual species. It is also a fact that hybrid species are exceedingly infertile, until, through succeeding generations of care, the characteristics are fixed. In fact, true hybrids are entirely infertile, the exceptions being so rare as to be always occasions of surprise. Plants have the habit of intermixing in a very variable degree. 216 Wisconsin State Hobticuxtctial Society. Peas, for instance have a prepotent power of their own in a re- markable degree, and hence are not liable to intercross. Cabbages, on the other hand, easily mix, and all cultivators know the difficulty in keeping the cucumber tribe, which include melons and gourds, from intermixing. In wild species, the tendency to remain consta.it to a fixed type is well known. In wild plants, one reason is that given varieties usually grow upon soils best adapted to them, and species being prepotent, as we have shown, to their own kind, they remain true. Once the departure takes place, the tendency to sport becomes easier, since the progeny will take their character to a greater or less degree from one of the parents. Thus, a variety once ob- tained, with care it may be perpetuated and fixed, or still further be modified to suit the will of the experimenter. But to do this, the scientific propagator must in order to modify, and then fix the type, spend years of patient time and care in the breeding, selec- tion and development. Plants in subjection constantly persist in reverting back to the original species, or else degenerate in regard to their qualities unless the greatest care be taken in cultivation and selection. This habit of reversion, indeed, becomes less and less with each suc- ceeding generation, if care be taken in selection and cultivation; but, on the other hand, where by care and high cultivation the type has become fixed, degeneration is more thoroughly marked through want of care. So, notwithstanding the yearly influx of superior plants and seeds, the want of care in selection and culti- vation by the ordinary grower soon carries them back, and with this determination, their places are taken by others, perhaps no better than they once were. So ample scope and profit results to that class who are constantly employed in breeding to type, by crossing and by selection, thus improving the quality of plants and their seeds. Thus care enables us to breed up and perpetuate those charac- teristics we wish fixed, and the want of care causes them to retro- grade. And this more quickly than they were brought to perfec- tion. If it were not for the law of heredity, the prepotency of fixed types, and the greater or less sterility of hybrids, animals and plants would soon be mixed in inextricable confusion, and, in- stead of our numerous but fixed species, we should have classes of Addresses — Plant Development and Training. 217 monstrosities continually succeeding each other. As it is, through scientific cultivation and perseverance, we are constantly improving and refining both plants and animals. As a rule, we would not advise the ordinary cultivator to attempt the creation of new sorts. They may do much, however, by culti- vation and selection, in keeping varieties not only intact and pure, but in improving the yield and quality. It is better for the farmer and gardener to leave this to those seedsmen whose peculiar prov- ince it is to follow this branch of agriculture. With the seed of many of the garden plants in cultivation, which hold their vitality unimpaired for years, the amateur cultivator may retain them pure, by saving seeds of one season planted entirely separate from oth- ers of kindred species to be used from year to year so long as they retain their vitality in perfection. Discouragement has often resulted from not properly studying adaptation to climate and soil. Such tender apples as the Rhode Island greening and Newton pippin will not answer expectations in high latitudes. It is a good plan in buying trees to leave the selection to the nurseryman, if he be competent and trustworthy, advising him of the locality, soil, exposure, etc., that he may choose the sorts .accordingly. . Let us now look at some of the forces and elements that go to develop vegetation. Air, heat, and moisture, are alone necessary to the germination of seeds. Life, air, heat, and moisture, are essential to the growth of the plant above ground, and heat, moisture, and the organic and inorganic constituents of good soils, are absolute requirements necessary to the sustenance of the plant below the surface, by means of the roots. Plant force is made up of heat, light, electricity, and affinity. The elements of plant light are oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, car- bon, etc. The nutritious grains, and the deadly vegetable poisons, are made up by forces acting upon the same elements. They are composed, decomposed, recomposed, and acted upon by the forces of nature, in a manner so subtle that many of the processes are beyond our comprehension; and yet, from what we do know, we have every reason to believe that they are all accomplished by pro- cesses at once as simple as they are beautiful. From the rudimentary vegetation of mosses and lichens, strug- 218 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. gling for life in crevices and upon branches in the arctic regions, to the towering forests, tangled creepers and brilliant flowers of the tropics, all are brought to life by force acting upon the elements since the time that the earth was cast into the ether fresh from the hand of its Maker. The simple observer of these facts, unaided by chemical knowledge, is lost in the mysteries contained therein, and the elucidation of them to such would be a life-long, and at last, perhaps an impossible task. How is it, then, that plants growing in the same soil, moistened by the same showers, bathed in the same air, and warmed by the rays of the same sun, are so different in their properties and combinations, and develop qualities differing so widely from each other? It is simply force acting upon matter, and is in accordance with fixed laws, emanating from the Creator. The seed is developed into the plant, the plant produces the ripe fruit, the fruit matures the seed, and each of these again may be decomposed into their original elements. Thus the elements, of which the coal measures are formed, the vegetation of the carbon- iferous age long since past, are now just being given up to the use of man, to be converted into light, heat and smoke! What are they? Only another name for coal, and this again for extinct vege- tation, and the latter for that which had preceded it. There are five stages in plant life — the germination of the seed below ground; the growth of the plant above ground; the de- velopment of the flower; the maturation of the fruit, and the decay or death of the plant. In the case of annuals, the first four stages are accomplished in a single season. In biennials two are required, and in some of the perennials — as for instance the mighty mon- archs of the forests, as in California and other countries — thou- sands of years are required. Thus from the ephemeral mushroom, and other fungi, which mature their growth and decay in a few days, to some of the aged growths of tropical and semi-tropical forests, an infinite number of generations of the fungi must elapse to make up a generation of the others. Yet the same elements compose one as the other. The mushroom becomes food for grass, the grass for the shrub, the shrub for the tree, and the tree, after it has fulfilled its mission, again becomes food for other vegetation. Nothing is lost, only changed, to work and rework out its task in the economy of nature. Seeds kept absolutely dry do not germinate. If kept from con- Addresses — Plant Development and Training. 219 tact with the air, they remain sound indefinitely. In order to the successful germination of seeds, they must be abundantly supplied with moisture, heat, and air. Light is necessary to the develop- ment of the plant, but it retards if it does not altogether prevent germination. During the process of germination, seeds absorb oxygen, and give off carbonic acid — that is, a portion of the carbon of the seed is oxidized, and the process of oxidation produces heat. Light produces a contrary effect; it deoxidizes the carbonic acid, or resolves it into its primary elements — carbon and oxygen. The amount of heat required to germinate seeds, varies with the kind. Wheat, rye, and most of the grasses germinate at a lower temperature than oats, barley, flax and Indian corn. Many of the exotic vegetables cultivated in our gardens, require much heat and moisture to induce germination, and hence, it is usual to start them in hot-beds. They gradually, however, become more hardy, and germinate more kindly after becoming partially acclimated. So plants taken from a cold climate to a warm one, change their con- stitution somewhat, and after many years if taken back to a colder climate, they will be found to have lost some of their hardiness. In the process of germination, seeds also actually give off heat, so much so sometimes, if placed in masses, as in malting, to sensibly affect the air. The heating of grain when wet, and laid in piles, is a phenomenon familiar to many. The moisture and heat being right, the grain sprouts, heat is germinated, and the transformation of starch or gum to sugar is effected, by its combination with acid, for during germination, acetic acid and a peculiar substance — diastase — is formed, which has the power of converting starch into sugar. Sugar is carbon, and carbon is necessary to the plant. This had been previously stored up in the seed to support it until it could push forth its plumule and radical — the first rising above ground, and the latter pushing its way below. The first to form leaves, and the latter to draw nourishment held in solution by the moisture of the earth. The embryo plant is contained in the seed, and may be easily seen by dissection under the microscope. The primary leaves of many seeds, as the legumes, peas, beans, etc., are formed of the two lobes of the seed itself. These rise immediately above ground. In other cases — as in wheat — the seed remains below ground, and is gradually absorbed, ust as the seed-leaves of beans are partially 220 "Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. absorbed above ground. The sugar, however, cannot be converted into woody fibre until after the appearance of the true leaves; hence all plants while in the seed leaf are very succulent. The sugar, by losing some atoms of the elements of water, is converted into woody fibre. Sugar is composed of carbon 12, oxygen 12, hydrogen 12. It becomes woody fibre by losing four atoms of oxygen and four of hydrogen. In the laboratory, nitric acid has the effect to change starch to woody fibre; and since nitrogen exists largely in the air, it is perhaps the effect of the nitrogen which causes sugar to be converted into woody fibre, and it is well known that the effect of dilute acid upon starch is to promote the forma- tion of sugar, or rather glucose. These, therefore, are some of the more important processes in the transformation and germination of the seed until it has reached the surface of the earth, and put forth its true leaves. From this time forth it enters a new existence, and must depend upon the condi- tions present in the air and earth for its sustenance and growth. If they are present, the plant increases, matures, becomes an herb, a plant or a tree. If the proper conditions are not present it be- comes enfeebled, lingers, and perhaps dies outright. It is the province of the progressive farmer to supply these conditions, so far as he may be able. Many of them are within his reach. He can attend to the drainage of his land, so that the soil does not become saturated with water, for when so saturated air cannot enter, and without air the seed must perish. Without sufficient heat the seed will not germinate. Drained soils are warmer than undrained ones, and without being wet they are always moist. If the soil does not contain water in a free state it will contain air. This air is being constantly decomposed, and in the act of decom- position it gives up its heat to the soil, and heat is one of the necessary conditions of growth. This brings us to training as a means of development. This may begin in all grafted fruits at the root. Whatever may be thought as to the influence of the scion on the stock, this much is probably certain. The top does produce a notable effect on the root growth, and vice versa. Hence the necessity of grafting or budding on stocks having a root growth similar to, or rather cor- responding with the top. The pear grafted on the quince, unless allowed to make root above the junction, is very short lived. Why? Addresses — Plant Development and Training. 221 One reason is, the quince is a fibrous rooted plant; the pear is not. The pear succeeds well, and in many instances bears fine crops, grafted in the central branches of apple trees. If a due modicum of apple leaves and wood is left to support the root, the pear re- mains longer than it otherwise would. If not, it soon loses vi