314 Beyond (he Sierras. 



the confidence of his co-laborers in the liighest degree. By many years ot 

 assiduous application he has won a place among the foremost horticulturists 

 of the United States.and is justly entitled to the deference and respect which 

 are shown him by all members of the Society. Before the close of the 

 meetings, the President was directed by a committee to hand to Mr. Ragan 

 a package of double eagles, as a testimonial from the membership. Of Pro- 

 fessor T. V. Munson, Senior Vice-President of the Society, I have already 

 spoken more than once. Mr. Munson is a scholar and a gentleman, a pro- 

 found thinker, a close observer, and a most companionable friend. He has 

 a vast fund of information, relative not only to the botanical phenomena of 

 the world, but to other pans of human knowledge. He is ready, with 

 reference and fact and example, for almost any topic of speech or composi- 

 tion. Several of the most interesting extemporaneous addresses made 

 during the sessions of the Society were by Mr. Munson. His good nature, 

 his philanthropy and generous disposition win for him the cordial esteem 

 of all his associates. 



Similar praise is due to the Treasurer of the Society, Major J. C. Evans, 

 of Kansas City, Mo. Major Evans, at the present time, is, I believe, the 

 oldest born inhabitant of the city from which he hails. He, too, has gained 

 a permanent hold upon the respect, even the devotion, of the body whose 

 money matters he is appointed to manage. In some parts of our journey 

 he, as well as Mr. Munson in other parts, was the presiding officer ; and on 

 such occasions his management of affairs was highly satisfactory. His 

 experience in horticultural pursuits has, like that of the other gentlemen, 

 been very extensive ; and I was informed that his own orchards at home 

 illustrated and established the Major's claim to a high rank among the 

 growers of American fruits. Nor can I dismiss his name without a bow to 

 Madame Evans, who accompanied him and us on the larger part of our 

 journey. She is a woman of unusual culture, a Parisian lady by birth and 

 education, who enlivened and enlightened many a passage of our talk as we 

 journeyed hither and yon thn ugh the valleys of California, 



The constitution of the Society provides for a retinue of Vice-Presidents, 

 one for each State, besides the senior officer named above. Of these not a 

 few were of our party: Mr. N. Ohmer, of Ohio; Mr. J. M. Smith and wife, 

 of Wisconsin ; Professor J. L. Budd,of Iowa; Mr.Wyman Elliot,of Minnesota : 

 Mr. J. H. Masters, of Nebraska; Major F. Holsinger, of Kansas; Mr. L. A. 

 Goodman and wife, of Missouri ; Mr. W. S. Thomas, of Arkansas; Mr. lloss 

 Lewers, of Nevada ; Mr. J. M. Samuels, of Kentucky ; Mr. T. S. Hubbard, of 

 New York; Mr. H. I. Budd, of New Jersey; Dr. and Mrs. J. R. Cardwell, of 

 Oregon ; Mr. J. Van. Lindley, of North Carolina ; Mr. Sylvester Johnson and 

 wife, of Indiana. All of these gentlemen participated ably in the proceed- 

 ings of the Society, and attested by their manners and talents the possession 

 cf high personal character. 



To the above list of official names the writer is now impelled to add a 

 few other personalities. He wishes, as far as he is able, to })iy a compli- 



