30 Aiiierican Horticaltura/ Society. 



C'oKNWALL-uMTHK-lIuD.soN, N. Y., December 19, 1887. 

 Mr. Parke)- Enrl<; Pres^idenl Anwricun Horticultural Society : 



Mv DiCAR SiK — I wish vou were going to California in '89, for then I would 

 gladly join yoii. I :iiu now iindiored on the Hudson for :i year, and am loaded 

 down to the water's eilge with literary work, which must be completed by certain 

 dates. If my time were my own I would gladly write you a paper. You will be 

 charmed with Southern California. I hope you will go to Santa Barbara, the 

 loveliest city on the coast. Yours, sincerely, E. V. Roe. 



Here is a letter from one of otu- number who, although gener- 

 ally j)revented from attending our meetings, " never foigets us;'^ 

 and while his letters embody the social features, well expressed, 

 they invariably present food for thought. Here is one of W. H. 

 Cassell's characteristic letters : 



Canton, Miss., January 10, 1888. 

 jr. //. Ragan, Sea-clary, Greencastle, Ind.: 



Dear Sir — After my regrets, heartfelt, at being compelled by circumstances 

 to forego the pleasure and profit of this grand " Occidental" excursion, permit me 

 to ask for a discussion at this meeting of the best methods of propagating nut- 

 bearing trees, and esj)ecially the pecan. At the last meeting of the Society, in 

 Cleveland, a paper on nnt culture was read by Mr. J. T. Lovett, of New Jersey, 

 but he mentioned no other mode of propagating the trees except from seeds. 

 Pecan culture is receiving considerable attention in this stale, particularly by 

 those who have bottom lands subject to overflows which prevent them from being 

 profitably cultivated in the ordinary crops, and yet which do not hurt the pecan 

 trees. There are from one hundred to one thousand trees being planted by some 

 parties, but altogether seedlings. There is a great difference in the fruit of differ- 

 ent trees as to quality, size, thickness of shell, etc. Some of the nuts are oval, 

 some are long and pointed. Now, if these promiscuous seedlings can be readily 

 grafted or budded with the more desirable kinds a great advantage will be gained, 

 especially as the trees live and bear " forever." English walnuts are also being 

 planted to some extent — more, however, for family use than market ; also, a lim- 

 ited number of Spanish chestnuts, black walnuts, etc. The interest in nut culture 

 is increasing greatly, and I feel confident that a di.scussion eliciting the best meth- 

 ods of propagation will be of great and general benefit to the country at large. 

 Wishing the meeting great success, very respectfully, W. II. Cas.se^l. 



Through B. M. I.<elong, Secretary of this State Board of Horti- 

 culture, we have the following from its able President. Wo truly 

 hope to .see Mr. Cooper at our Riverside meeting: 



Ellwood, Cal., January 21, 1888. 

 To B. M. Lelong, Sec'y Slate Board of Ilorlicidlure, 220 Sidler street, San Francisco : 



Dear Sir — Please present to the American Horticultural Society my regrets 

 at not being able to attend the meeting at San Jos(?. I am now in the midst of 



