Reports of Local Societies. 337 



elevated and improved a whole community. Twelve years ago 

 there was scarcely a flower garden in the hamlet; now every yard, 

 however broad or narrow, is glorified by the choicest annuals and 

 perennials, and in every cottage window bloom those rare and fragile 

 things that turn winter into summer. The story paper has given 

 way to the Ohio Farmer or the Agriculturist, the botany is fast 

 supplanting the yellow covered novel, and useful research and in- 

 telligent conversation leave little room for idle gossip; and all this, 

 the work of one woman who had the taste and tact to appeal to the 

 love of the beautiful in the hearts of her neighbors. Does this not 

 suggest that there is more than one way of doing good? 



With this hint, and an apology for the fragmentary character of 

 this paper, resulting, I suppose, from what Victor Hugo calls the 

 " promiscuity of things," in other words, the too close proximity of 

 Latin derivatives and horse shoe geraniums, of French verbs and 

 prickly cacti, Cataline's conspiracy and the slow developments of 

 the scale-bug. I leave you to recall, if you are ingenious enough, 

 anything that I have said about the Calla lily. 



L. L. Randall followed with a paper on the orchard, giving his 

 experience with seedling trees, which promise to be very success- 

 ful. He has about two hundred seedlings from the Duchess of 

 Oldenburgh, all in fine condition; three or four of them have come 

 into bearing, and the fruit has four of the seven qualifications de- 

 sired to meet the wants of fruit growers in the northwest, viz: 

 hardiness, early bearing, prolific and annual bearer, size, color, 

 quality, and a long keeper. Mr. Randall is very confident that he 

 shall " bring out the apple that will complete the list of iron clads." 



The oldest member present (Mr. Hart) has been in the state 

 twenty seven years; has had a severe experience with apple trees, 

 and has lost faith in all " iron clads," but still hopes there will be 

 some new variety found that will prove reliable in northern Wis- 

 consin. 



To fill vacancies in orchards, one member recommended Golden 

 Russet and Tallman Sweet as the best varieties. Another would 

 set the ten hardy varieties, viz: Red Astrachan, Tallman Sweet, 

 Duchess of Oldenburgh, Fameuse, St. Lawrence, Utter's, Plumb's 

 Cider, Seek-no-Further, Golden Russet, Ben Davis — planting sev- 

 enty-five per cent, winter apples, and would fill vacancies with 



