THE ILLINOIS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Thirteenth Annual Meeting. The winter-meeting of this very useful association has just been held at the pleasant prairie village of Bunker Hill, in Macoupin County. The location is rather at one side of the State; but this did not prove to be any disadvantage, as there are many prominent horticulturists in this and the adjoining counties. Those from St. Louis had easy access, and all parts of Illinois are brought near by railroads; and thus the result was a good attendance: and the character of the men who participated in the discussions was unusually good, even for this society, which is justly famous for the advanced condition of its horticulturists. The exhibition of fruits was meagre, as might have been anticipated from the severity of the weather, but embraced several novelties.

An extensive programme had been prepared, indicating the work that was provided for each session of the four days appropriated to the meeting. This proved of great service in saving time; and, though it was not always possible to adhere to it rigidly, the business never flagged, nor the interest, from first to last indeed, the discussions of some of the papers were so prolonged as to crowd out the order for the day.

The address of welcome by T. A. Pettingill, president of the local society, was very appropriate, and offered the hospitalities of the citizens to all who were in attendance. This was followed by a well-considered annual message from the president, A. M. Brown of Villa Ridge, in the southern part of the State, in which he encouraged his brother-horticulturists by telling them what they should learn from the failures of the year. He urged the more thorough culture of their crops. He told them that the object of this society was not merely to instruct the people as to what to plant, and how to plant it, but also how to take care of it after being planted; how to cultivate; and how to ward off the attacks of our enemies, particularly the insect foes. The discussions showed the deep interest already taken by the members in these subjects, and the proficiency they have already attained in practical entomology under their excellent teachers, Messrs. Walsh and Riley, the official bug-hunters of Illinois and Missouri respectively, both of whom were in attendance to lend their valuable assistance.

The appointment of an ad-interim committee has worked well. To them are referred all questions of interest, and all new or unknown fruits, during the recess between the meetings. They visit localities that are famous for their products; and their reports to these annual meetings are invaluable. They will constitute a most important portion of the report; and at the meeting they were not only found exceedingly interesting, but they furnished topics for extended and intelligent discussions. Indeed, most of the numerous papers presented gave evidence of labor in study and research: they showed work. Where all are so good, it would be invidious to particularize. They who wish to know more about them are referred to the published report, which will give a very favorable exhibit of the status of horticulture in this great State. The importance of these interests is so well understood and so highly appreciated by the legislature, that a liberal appropriation is made from the State treasury to aid in its support. The annual contribution of one dollar entitles the sender to all the rights of membership, including the printed reports. (Address W. C. Flagg, secretary, Moro, Ill.)

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POMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS. - We never had more striking evidence of the influence of an orchard-house over the quality, size, and beauty of fruit, than was afforded by two apples, part of the crop grown at Hamburg in the orchardhouse of Mr. Johann Wesselhoeft. One of the apples, the White Calville, is well known as a large and excellent dessert-fruit: but the specimen sent was larger than large; for it measured fourteen inches in circumference, and in every other merit surpassed those we have had from an open wall. The other specimen was of the Melon Apple; and this was the largest we ever saw of the variety, being thirteen inches and a half in circumference, most brilliantly colored, and all that a culinary apple should be, flesh high flavored, and cooking tender.

A correspondent, "E. M. B. A.," writes to us as follows: "In the interesting account given in the Journal of the Doyenné du Comice Pear, I venture to think that either the writer or the printer of the article in question has fallen into a mistake in accenting the last letter of Doyenné. Turning to Contanseau's French Dictionary, I find as follows: 'Doyen, s. m., I, dean; 2 (of age), senior. Doyenné, s. m., 1, deanery; 2 (Pear) Doyenné.' The explanation of the latter word rather implies that Doyenné is correct: nevertheless, it seems to me that Doyenne should be regarded as the feminine of Doyen; the word poire, which is feminine, being understood. Comice is evidently derived from the Latin word comitium, 'an assembly:' so that 'Doyenne du Comice' must inean 'Dean of the Assembly;' a title to which, from the account you give, it is justly entitled. It can scarcely be maintained that any one should name a pear 'The Deanery of the Assembly,' instead of the Dean; i.e., the Chief of the Assembly. The one makes excellent sense: the other is little less than rubbish."

[All authorities, French and English, place the accent on the last letter of Doyenné, and, we think, correctly. The first pear so named was raised in the garden of a French deanery, and literally means "the Deanery Pear." Since then, many pears resembling it in some one or more qualities have received the same name, with some affix to mark that they are differing. Thus we have the Doyenné d'Alençon, or Deanery Pear of Alençon; Doyenné d'Automne, or Autumnal Deanery Pear; and full twenty others. Doyenné du Comice, we believe, is the Deanery Pear of the Committee; it having obtained the special approval of the Committee of the Horticultural Society of Angers.]— English Journal of Horticulture.

KANSAS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Kansas State Horticultural Society met at Leavenworth on the 15th, 16th, and 17th of December, and elected William Tanner, Leavenworth, president; C. B. Lines, Wabannsee, vicepresident; G. C. Brackett, Lawrence, secretary; S. T. Kelsey, Ottawa, treasurer. A full attendance. Interesting reports, essays, and discussions were made this session, one of the most pleasing as well as beneficial of any held in our young State.

The interest in this society is rapidly strengthening; and all look forward to its next annual meeting, to be held in Ottawa, Franklin County, as one of great interest and importance in our history. G. C. BRACKETT, Secretary.

HIGH AIMS OF HORTICULTURE. — GRAPES.

A WORD TOUCHING DR. GRANT'S ADDRESS BEFORE THE NEW-YORK-STATE GRAPE-GROWERS' SOCIETY.

My dear Tilton, — Seeing that you have the ear, and, I may add, the sympathy, of nearly every horticulturist in the country, and that in your desire to serve them, and to aid the cause in which they, with you, are embarked, you offer through your excellent Journal a wide range for discussion, I beg leave to submit a few remarks in the line above indicated.

Horticulture is doubtless the most elevated and elevating pursuit known to the civilized world.

In embarking in the culture of fruits and flowers, we approach nearest to the threshold of primeval purity and innocence. Whoever is thereunto inclined (as I rejoice to know thousands of our best and noblest citizens are, and that to every one of them it is a source of purest delight) gives evidence of high moral aims. Kindness and courtesy are the prominent characteristics of their nature.

Hence a combination of such persons, a "horticultural society," or organized body of fruit-growers, has come to be regarded as an association of the highest rank.

These associations, their pleasant and profitable discussions, are very attractive to the fruit-grower; and there are but very few of them of any note who are not members of one or more of the many organizations of this character now permanently established in our country.

To be counted a useful and worthy member of such a society is to possess a passport of the highest character; a substantial guaranty of high bearing, and purity of purpose.

You have chosen these to be your associates and companions, and on their behalf, and for the advancement of the cherished enterprise that combines their sympathies and occupies much of their precious time, have established a muchneeded "Journal of Horticulture" of high grade, worthy the name it bears and the interest it proposes to represent. For such substantial benefits, timely tendered, you will continue to receive their highest regards.

In this, my first communication for "Tilton's Journal of Horticulture,” I have felt constrained to offer this feeble recognition of your noble efforts in behalf of American horticulture.

To me it is a source of great comfort and satisfaction to be able to realize that grape-culture, after so many years of heroic experimental labors, is at length permanently established in this country. Particularly gratifying, too, is it to know that it has its foundation in vines indigenous to American soil, and that the key to final success was embraced in a proper appreciation of their providentially-provided resource.

Culture, that's the word. A gracious Providence prepares the needed elements, and sets forth the material upon which our labor and skill are to be expended, suggesting our duty, tempting us to activity.

Of the Vitus vinifera we have now little need; none indeed. Why go to Asia for scions, when better, in great numbers, are found all around us?

I do not mean to say that the wild, rough fox, or the frost-ripened fruit of the Cordifolia, is to be compared to the Golden Chasselas or the luscious Frontignans; but the products already secured, through culture, from these wild vines, furnish the fullest assurance that the most complete success is fairly within our grasp: indeed, there is good reason now for asserting that we have already grown one or two varieties, unsurpassed, for wine-purposes at least, by any foreign production.

Again there is good reason to believe that the Asiatic Vitus vinifera, from which all the choice European varieties were produced, had its origin in a type not more exalted than those of our own country already named. Our field of experimental research in the line of improved varieties is wide and promising. The seedlings grown by Mr. Bull and Dr. Grant; the crossing of American with foreign varieties, as seen in the instance of Allen's Hybrid, and the best samples presented by Mr. Rogers; to say nothing of Mr. Moore's Diana Hamburg, or Mr. Caywood's much-abused Walter, or of those many accidental seedlings that have sprung up by the wayside, and are yet to be a thousand times duplicated in the same field, I say, when we take account of these, and of the lessons they teach, we are warranted in the assumption, not only that grape and wine culture is at length permanently established, but that it will be rapidly expanded, until the product, in quantity as well as quality, shall equal that of any if not of all other countries.

At present, the public judgment is not a little confused regarding the relative merits of varieties already in cultivation. This is the natural result of the rapidly-multiplying new sorts that are constantly being brought before the public; and these differences, which are seen to be natural enough, bid fair to continue for a long time, especially as local causes are seen to exalt or depress, as the case may be, all the varieties that have as yet been at all widely cultivated. And again, and, too, what may also be counted not strange, perhaps, though a little out of place in horticultural ranks, the spirit of speculation has been encouraged, and manifestly is still being fostered, as having a tendency to hedge up the way to a fair investigation and development of the actual qualities, in fruit and vine, of some of the to be distributed and tested late productions claimed, but scarcely yet proved, to be of high quality.

Now, sir, it is not my habit to discuss men; but I insist on the widest latitude and freest scope in the discussion of any and all varieties of grapes new or long tried.

Also, in view of my own experience during the past twenty-three years, for the largest portion of which period my time and attention have been almost exclusively occupied with this enterprise, I feel entirely at liberty freely to advise all who inquire of me regarding the practicability of their investing considerable sums in any given variety, and especially of such as have had but a limited trial.

The propagators and venders of new grapes should not allow themselves to be over-sensitive regarding the free expression of opinions in which fruit-growers, and especially grape-growers, claim the right to indulge.

When I advised the grape-growers of our Lake Shore not to purchase more

than two plants each of Dr. Grant's famous seedling, the Iona, I did so because I regarded the investment in the light of a lottery-ticket. For indeed they were such; and so are all new seedlings: all are but tickets in the great horticultural lottery; and too, I am fully warranted in declaring, less likely to draw prizes than blanks.

In the instance of the Iona, we all, along "this line" at least, drew prizes. Before the trial and eminent success of the Iona, Dr. Grant seemed to regard me as arbitrary and hardly fair; but afterwards, when I became well satisfied of the great value of this variety, and invested ten thousand dollars in vines for my own vineyards, the doctor evidently approved my course, and doubtless has since held me in higher estimation than he would have done had I at first "gone in " after the manner of "shut your eyes, and open your mouth."

As Dr. Grant might have anticipated, his address before the grape-growers at Canandaigua gave rise to considerable muttering, which, as it appears from a communication in your Journal, has at length culminated in open complaint. Charges, it seems, have been preferred as well against the doctor personally as against his cherished seedlings, one at least of which he has always regarded as tenderly as the "apple of his eye."

As to the matter embraced in the doctor's address, or the propriety of his presenting the facts and opinions there set forth in response to the invitation received from the president of the organization, the doctor, who was most interested of course, was doubtless well satisfied before it was offered; and it is but fair and most natural that each individual grape-grower or propagator should indulge the same freedom of opinion.

To the writer, it seemed proper then, as it does still, and especially at the first exhibition of the society, to review the past history of grape-culture in our country, and to note the successive advances made by those earnest and faithful cultivators who have preceded us, as well as to relate what has been accomplished by the more fortunate experimenters of the present day, who, profiting by past experiments, have ushered in the “new era,” and have fully succeeded in making grape-culture in this country a permanent institution.

Manifestly the important feature of such a review would consist of a faithful narrative and history of the succession of new and improved varieties, which is the sum of our accomplishments, and, together with the knowledge gained with these acquisitions, — to wit, the manner in which they were obtained, constitutes all the capital we can fairly claim to have invested in the grand achievement.

But such a faithful representation Mr. Caywood claims the doctor failed to present, grievously erring in favor of his own bantlings.

This is a delicate point, and is withal a grave charge, and, I do not hesitate to add, one which, judging from Mr. Caywood's antecedents, as well as from his performance in drawing this bill of indictment against the doctor, he is illy qualified to establish. And, further, I am constrained to remark, that Mr. Caywood's article scarcely exhibits the characteristic refinement and courtesy I have already claimed to belong to professional horticulturists and fruit-growers. It is to be borne in mind that the doctor's performance was one of a public