188 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



his youth and early monhood. In an early day he was con- 

 nected with a choir of singers in Dr. Patterson's church in 

 New Hampshire, and he was the leader of that choir for 

 many years. He raised the standard of that choir higher 

 and higher. It was through the instrumentality of Mar- 

 shall P. Wilder that one of those old independent compa- 

 nies was formed that were at once the ornament and excel- 

 lence of the old state militia laws. He was the first captain 

 of that company and brought it up to a very high standard. 

 From the position of captain of that company he rose to 

 that of colonel of a New Hampshire regiment, and com- 

 manded that regiment in 18;:(>. He was the peer of any man 

 I ever saw to command a regiment. Soon after, in the 

 spring of 1826, he came out of the service, and finding the 

 town where he had made it his home, not large enough for 

 his activities, he sold out his business and removed to Bos- 

 ton, with his father. There he entered the firm of some 

 commission merchants. He was a most excellent man, and 

 when such an one as Col. Marshall P. Wilder goes to his 

 rest the world may well mourn. 



Pres. J. M. Smith — Ladies and gentlemen, the first thing 

 upon our programme this evening, is a paper by James Cur- 

 rie, of Milwaukee, but I understand that he can be with us 

 to- morrow, and that Mr. Periam, of Chicago, who was to 

 speak to morrow morning, cannot be with us to-morrow, so 

 unless there are objections made we will listen to Mr. Per- 

 iam, one of the editors of the Farm and Stock Journal, this 

 evening. His subject is: 



SMALL FRUITS IN CHICAGO. 



By JONATHAN PERIAM. 



It is well known that Chicago is the greatest fruit dis- 

 tributing market in the world. Why this is so is not be- 

 cause it is the greatest center of population, but because its 

 wonderful system of railways, radiating to every part of 

 the Union, allows not only free, cheap and rapid transporta- 

 tion to Chicago, but as free, cheap, rapid and sure transpor- 



