Reading of Letters. 99 



I have the following from the earnest pomologist and genial gen- 

 tleman, J. S. Woodward, of Lockport, N. Y., who seems to have 

 temporarily left the management of the Niagara grape interest for 

 the even more golden management of the " Niagara Mining Com- 

 pany," away oif in the wilds of New Mexico. But he carries with 

 him to the mountains the spirit which made him so successful a 

 horticulturist, and we are glad to hear from him: 



Pyramid, Grant Co., New Mexico, December 18, 1882. 

 My Dear Sir : 



Your favor of the 5th inst., containing programme of the Mississippi Valley 

 Horticultural excursion and meeting, and your very kind letter of same date, has 

 been forwarded to me. I had fully intended to have attended your meeting, and 

 to have gone in company with the very distinguished and pleasant gentlemen who 

 ■will leave Chicago Feb. 19, but I have got switched oif into this far-away country, 

 and hardly expect to be able to do so now. While I am for the present isolated 

 here, I have lost none of my interest in fruit-growing. I may possibly have business 

 that will take me over part of the way to New Orleans, and if so I shall most gladly 

 avail myself of the opportunity to meet with the fruit-growers of the West and 

 South. One of the greatest regrets I had in leaving the management of the Niag- 

 ara Grape Company, and coming here, was the loss of the great opportunity I had 

 to meet with these generous, open hearted fruit-growers, East, West, North and 

 South. Very Eespectfully Yours, 



J. S. Woodward. 



I have here a letter from one of those horticultural pioneers who 



have had to re-create horticulture as a new art, under new and very 



extreme conditions, on the great plains and among the mountains 



of the far West. One of the most energetic of these men is our 



Vice President for Colorado, Mr. D. S. Grimes, of Denver. He 



writes me as follows : 



Denver, Col., February 11, 1883. 

 My Dear Sir : 



On account of the entire management of our nurseries, 'both here and four hun- 

 dred miles west of here, falling on me, I regret to say that it is impossible for me 

 to attend the meeting in New Orleans. 



It hurts me all over to be thus deprived of this great treat, and I submit with the 

 greatest reluctance. But as I can not go, I will give you this brief report of our 

 horticultural condition : 



The State of Colorado is making rapid progress in all branches of horticulture. 

 Our altitude, climatic influences, and manner of cultivation, all differ widely from 

 those of the Eastern States. On account of these peculiar features our experience 

 may be of interest to our Eastern brethren. Fruit growing is an industry very 

 profitable to those engaged in it. The people of Colorado are great fruit eaters. 



