sents. He referred to the growing extent of the vine-planting in the United States, and especially in that part covered by the society whose interests he represents. He prophesied that the Mississippi and its tributaries would one

day rival the vine-clad borders of the Rhine.

To all these hospitable and hearty greetings, the President, Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, made a beautiful acknowledgment on behalf of the society; after which he proceeded to the business of the day. Announcing the unavoidable absence of the Secretary, on motion, F. R. Elliott of Cleveland was appointed pro tem. A Committee on Credentials, and one to arrange business, were appointed by the Chair; when it was announced that the President's Address would be delivered at half-past two o'clock, P.M.; and the society took a recess until that hour.

The President's Address was characterized by the elegance and usefulness of all his productions; for, whether fruits, flowers, or prologues, they are always attractive, beautiful, and useful. He paid a deserved tribute to the horticultural taste and skill of the West; he presented an historical sketch of the rise and progress of the society, over which he has presided almost ever since its organization.

Mr. Wilder referred to the importance of encouraging the production of new varieties, and cited Van Mons's injunction, " To sow, to sow again, to resow, to sow perpetually ;" and added this good advice: "Plant the most mature and perfect seeds of the most hardy, vigorous, and valuable varieties; and as a shorter process, insuring more certain and happy results, cross and hybridize your best fruits."

The remarks upon the characteristics of a good tree and those of a good fruit were admirable, and are commended to the attention of all pomologists.

The moral and social influences of horticultural pursuits were pleasantly portrayed, as by one who had fully realized their power. A touching tribute was paid to the departed worthies who had been snatched from among us since the last meeting of the society.

We give below brief extracts from the President's Address:

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"THE GRAPE. In the whole circle of pomological progress, there is no branch which excites so much interest, or gives such favorable promise, as the culture of the grape. At last, the vine, which has been so much neglected or persecuted from fear of producing an intoxicating beverage, is becoming the great object of attraction. From the Lakes to the Gulf, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, large tracts of land are being devoted to its growth. Companies and villages are springing up, wealth and enterprise are on the alert, in the belief that this department of fruit-culture is to be the most profitable. If the same enterprise continues in our land for the next half-century, the words of the Psalmist will be realized: Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt; thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root; and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.'

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Throughout an extent of territory running over twenty-five degrees of latitude, and from ocean to ocean, the native vine grows spontaneously, is as hardy as the forests it inhabits, and ripens as surely as the apple or any other fruit. All localities are not alike favorable for its growth; but it may be assumed as a general law, that, where Nature has planted any of our wild species, there other new and improved sorts may be raised by hybridization, either natural or artificial, which will be equally as well adapted to that territory.

"In regard to the wines of our country, I may be permitted to remark, that from many comparisons made between the better samples of American wine on exhibition at the Paris Exposition with foreign wines of similar character, as well as from the experience of many European wine-tasters, we have formed a higher estimate of our ability to make good wines than we had before entertained; and, from investigations in vine-culture, we are now more confident than ever that America can and will be a great wine-producing country.

"All that is necessary for us to rival the choicest products of other parts of the world, will, with experiments and practice, be attained. We have several excellent varieties of the grape, to which constant additions are being made. These are born on American soil, and suited to it, - a soil and temperature

extensive and varied enough for every range of quality and quantity. He, therefore, who shall discover a plat of ground capable of yielding a Johannisberger, a Tokay, or a Chateau Margaut, will be a public benefactor; and somewhere between the Lakes and the Gulf, and the two oceans that circumscribe it, we shall find it.

"GENERAL VIEW OF THE WORK OF THE SOCIETY. In taking a general view of the work of this society, we cannot but be struck with the richness, the embarrassing richness, I may say, of the material presented to us. In making up our catalogue, we have been obliged in every species to omit, for some slight deficiency, varieties possessing so many good qualities as almost to grieve us to pass them by. It has been objected to pomological conventions, that the testimony to the qualities of the different sorts of fruit is so conflicting as greatly to impair their value; but we believe, that, to one accustomed to weighing evidence, the marvel will be, not that there should be discordant testimony, but that in our vast country, with its endless diversity of soil and climate, there should be so many kinds whose uniform excellence is either attested unanimously, or with barely exceptions enough to prove the rule. There may be some here who remember a motion, at the first meeting of the Congress of Fruitgrowers, for a committee to report a list of one hundred varieties of pears for general cultivation. The proposal was received with surprise at its audacity, if not with a stronger feeling at its folly; for had we not been told, by novices who thought they had got hold of an idea which more experienced cultivators had failed to discern, that there were not above twenty pears of any merit? Yet the list of twelve pears accepted at that meeting had in 1856, only eight years after, grown to ninety-four, recommended for general cultivation, either on pear or quince, or as promising well.

"The progress we have made is nowhere more forcibly shown than by the fact, that, while thus increasing our list, the standard of excellence has not been

lowered, but raised. Twenty-five years ago, every new fruit of good quality was at once recommended for more or less extensive cultivation: if a good bearer, it was so much the better; if a hardy and vigorous tree, better still; but quality was all that was deemed indispensable: while to-day a fruit must combine, in a good degree, all these, and many other points, or be at once passed by; and many of those then thought most desirable are now on the rejected list. We hear no more of varieties which, though not of sufficient excellence for extensive cultivation, were yet so good, that 'a single tree should be in every large collection.' A sort worthy of no more extensive cultivation than that is not worth growing at all, unless it may be, as in a museum, for its historical value.

"Our society has brought together, from more than thirty states and provinces, the most intelligent, experienced, sagacious, and skilful cultivators, who have taught each other, and made the knowledge of one the property of all. Its example has led to the formation of similar associations in England, France, and Belgium, and of local associations in our own country. It may fearlessly ask to be judged by its published proceedings, which, in their reports of discussions, reports of committees, catalogues, and papers on various pomological subjects, embody, in a condensed form, such a mass of information on this science — the best thoughts of the best cultivators throughout our land—as is possessed by no other nation on earth. Instead of the fifty-four varieties recommended in 1848, our catalogue now contains the names of five hundred and sixty-one fruits; viz., a hundred and seventy-eight apples, a hundred and twenty-two pears, forty-three cherries, fifty-five peaches, six nectarines, eleven apricots, thirty-three plums, three quinces, eighteen native grapes, twenty-two foreign grapes, eighteen currants, thirteen gooseberries, twelve raspberries, two blackberries, and twentyfive strawberries. And the list of a hundred and twenty-six varieties, rejected in 1849, has grown to six hundred and twenty-five; viz., a hundred and twentysix apples, three hundred and fifty-one pears, five apricots, thirty-two cherries, two grapes, thirty-one plums, three raspberries, and seventy-five strawberries ; making a total of one thousand one hundred and eighty-six varieties of fruit on which the society has set the stamp of its approval or rejection."

After the conclusion of the address, the Treasurer made his report, which showed a small balance on hand.

Mr. George W. Campbell of Ohio reported, on behalf of the Nominating Committee, the following list:

For President. - Marshall P. Wilder. For Vice-Presidents. —'Alabama, L. F. Mellen; Arkansas, J. H. Ingram; California, R. T. Perkins; Canada, Charles Arnold; Colorado, Charles Pauls; Connecticut, D. S. Dewey; Delaware, E. Tatnall; District of Columbia, W. Saunders; Florida, J. W. Weed; Georgia, P. J. Berckmans; Illinois, Arthur Bryant, sen.; Indiana, I. D. G. Nelson; Iowa, D. W. Kauffman; Kansas, Charles B. Lines; Kentucky, Lawrence Young; Louisiana, Dr. M. A Swasey; Maine, S. L. Goodale; Maryland, W. C. Wilson; Massachusetts, C. M. Hovey; Michigan, William Bort; Mississippi, J. M. Stone; Missouri, B. F. Edwards; Minnesota, D. A. Robertson; Montana, Nicholas Waugh; Nebraska, Dr. H. Link; New Hampshire, Frederick Smythe;

New Jersey, William Parry; New Mexico, Col. Ruyther; New York, Charles Downing; North Carolina, W. L. Steele; Ohio, John A. Warder; Oregon, Simeon Francis; Pennsylvania, Robert Buist; Rhode Island, Silas Moore; South Carolina, William Summer; Tennessee, M. S. Feierson; Texas, William Watson; Utah, J. E. Johnson; Vermont, E. C. Worcester; Virginia, Yardley Taylor; West Virginia, Z. Jacobs; Wisconsin, J. C. Plumb. For Treasurer. Thomas P. James. For Secretary. — F. R. Elliott.

The reported ticket was then elected entire. The President in a few words gracefully and feelingly made his acknowledgments for the re-election to a position which he had filled for eighteen years; though he had frequently tendered his resignation, believing others equally qualified to discharge the duties. After eloquently expressing his devotion to agricultural pursuits and associations, he remarked that he was upon the down-hill side of life, and would soon be laid to rest; but that he should be happy if it could then be said of him, "Here lies one who assisted in elevating mankind, and added something to the sum of human happiness."

The President said that the constitution required an election by ballot, but that it had been the custom for the society to authorize the appointment of some member to deposit the ballot of the society.

On motion of Mr. Barry, the President was authorized to so appoint; and he designated Mr. Campbell to deposit the ballot.

In compliance with the constitution, the President announced the following for the next biennial term:

General Fruit Committee. - P. Barry, chairman, New York; J. W. Adams, Maine ; Copp, New Hampshire; J. F. C. Hyde, Massachusetts; J. H. Bourne, Rhode Island; D. S. Dewey, Connecticut; E. C. Worcester, Vermont; W. B. Smith, New York; J. A. Trimble, New Jersey; A. W. Harrison, Pennsylvania; Edward Tatnall, Delaware; J. S. Downer, Kentucky; G. W. Campbell, Ohio; W. H. Loomis, Indiana; M. L. Dunlap, Illinois; William Muir, Missouri; T. T. Lyon, Michigan; Oliver P. Taylor, Virginia; W. C. Wilson, West Virginia; H. L. Steele, North Carolina; William Schley, South Carolina; L. E. Berckmans, Georgia; J. M. Stone, Mississippi; M. W. Phillips, Tennessee; Mark Miller, Iowa; Daniel Harper, Alabama; H. C. Swerer, Louisiana; J. C. Plumb, Wisconsin; L. F. Landeroque, California; J. Saul, District of Columbia; D. Robinson, Minnesota; William Watson, Texas; J. H. Ingram, Arkansas; Charles Arnold, Canada West; Hugh Allen, Canada East; C. B. Lines, Kansas.

Executive Committee. M. B. Bateham, Ohio; Prof. Thurber, New York; J. E. Mitchell, Pennsylvania; W. C. Flagg, Illinois; J. F. C. Hyde, Massachusetts.

On Foreign Fruits. George Ellwanger, New York; C. M. Hovey, Massachusetts; Dr. E. S. Hull, Illinois; William Muir, Missouri; D. S. Dewey, Connecticut; P. J. Berckmans, Georgia.

On Synonymes and Rejected Fruits.-J. S. Cabot, Massachusetts; J. J. Thomas, New York; I. D. G. Nelson, Indiana; J. A. Warder, Ohio; H. E. Hooker, New York; M. L. Dunlap, Illinois; J. A. J. Caswell, Maryland.

On Revision of Catalogue. - President, ex officio, P. Barry, New York; J. A. Warder, Ohio; Charles Downing, New York; C. M. Hovey, Massachusetts; J. Knox, Pennsylvania; W. C. Flagg, Illinois; George Husmann, Missouri. Mr. Thomas Meehan of Pennsylvania, the well-known editor of "The Gardener's Monthly," read a very interesting paper upon the diseases of the pear, attributing the malady called "blight" to the inroads of a fungous growth.

Much discussion followed the reading of this paper, and with the usual result, ― of little progress or advance in knowledge upon the best remedies for the disease.

M. L. Dunlap of Illinois read a paper upon packing and marketing fruits, in which he condemned the boxes, and recommended the use of baskets.

Raspberries, strawberries, currants, and other small fruits, were discussed at some length, as will appear in the report of the society, shortly to be published.

Mr. Saunders read a valuable paper upon the mildew and rot in the grape ; after which, an essay upon the same subject was presented by A. Fondler of Missouri. Both are possessed of interest, and will be referred to with advantage by those engaged in this branch of fruit-culture.

The reading was followed by a discussion of varieties, that continued for some time. Cognate to this, the President, by request, gave an interesting account of his observations among the vineyards of Europe.

Dr. Trimble of New Jersey entertained the society by an account of some destructive insects, particularly of the curculio and of the codling moth: for the latter he exhibited his hay-rope, well furnished with cocoons and larvæ.

On the last day of the session, the discussion of varieties, of pears, apples, and cherries, was taken up with much vigor; but it was evident that too little time had been allowed to do the subjects justice. Indeed, it is a matter of regret to many of the members, that, when the combined learning and knowledge of the country is convened at these national congresses of fruit-growers, there should not be a more continuous and extended opportunity for the diffusion of the information which they undoubtedly possess. Such occasions might well be made a valuable school to all the fruit-growers in attendance, and, through them, to thousands of others all over the country.

After determining to hold the next meeting at Philadelphia in the fall of 1869, appropriate resolutions were passed, and the society adjourned.

A pleasant incident connected with the convention was a presentation to President Wilder. Dr. Edwards of Missouri, having in his hand an evergreen wreath starred with flowers, approached the President upon the platform, and said, that, in behalf of the ladies of St. Louis, it was his very agreeable duty to confer upon him a well-merited and most appropriate crown.

President Wilder to the Ladies. - President Wilder responded, that, if an avalanche from his native hills had suddenly come down upon him, he could not have been more surprised than by receiving such a testimonial from the ladies of St. Louis. To find his labors thus appreciated by that class whom he adored; by whom he had been attended in sickness, and delighted in health; who especially rejoiced in the floral beauties of Nature, and were most charmed by the beauties with which Pomona graced her bounties; and to receive this appreciation from