548 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



I have taxed my raemor}- over and over, but cannot recall that I ever 

 met him. The president for 1862 not only served faithfulh^, but he 

 lectured on potato culture in various parts of the State. 



The fifth president of the Association, whom I had the pleasure 

 of meeting, was Dr. James Calder, of Harrisburg, at one time presi- 

 dent of the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania. A more genial, 

 honorable and upright man, and a better husband and friend never 

 lived. The three or four years I was a member of the State Board 

 of Agriculture, I lectured with him at Farmers' Institutes. Earnest, 

 honest, truthful, his influence made itself felt in whatever he under- 

 took. 



The next president of the Association was D. W. Gross of Har- 

 risburg, a druggist, and horticulturist, who had personal control 

 of a small vineyard a few miles from home. I have nothing but good 

 to say of him. 



Dr. James Calder was again elected president in 1868, and after 

 him followed Josiah Hoopes of West Chester, who wrote one of our 

 most valuable horticultural books, "Evergreens of America." For 

 reasons known only to himself, he declined to serve after being elected, 

 and his position was filled by the vice-president, Mr. H. M. Engle. 

 Of the years 1874 and 1875 I shall not speak. The president was 

 from the county of York. 



In 1876 Mr. Edwin Satterthwaite was elected president. He was 

 an extensive pear grower, and long before the experts at Washing- 

 ton discovered how the pear blight was carried from one tree to 

 another, he gave us his experience, showing the influence of the dis- 

 tribution of pollen. Dr. Waite, of the Department of Agriculture, 

 made some of the most valuable discoveries in horticulture, but Mr. 

 Satterthwaite had, unknown to Waite, anticipated these discoveries 

 several years before they were announced by the Department of Agri- 

 culture. 



After the years 1877 and 1878, during which Mr. Josiah Hoopes 

 was again elected president, Mr. Henry M. Engle, the first vice- 

 president, served during 1879. He was from Lancaster county, and 

 an upright, honorable, genial man ; a cultivator of the Paragon chest- 

 nut, which he introduced to the horticultural world. 



As Pomologist of the Department of Agriculture, during the sec- 

 ond administration of Cleveland, I was able to introduce this chest- 

 nut into Virginia. There were no native chestnut trees in certain 

 sections on which to graft them, but Charles Baltet, of Troyes, France, 

 one of the most eminent horticulturists of the last century, suggested 

 grafting them on the oak, and particularly the red oak; we issued 

 a small bulletin, and sent scions throughout Virginia, and I am 

 pleased to say, we were unusually successful. 



To-day I received from the family of Charles Baltet the announce- 

 ment of his death, in which are the names of his wife and his sons 

 and daughters, his grandchildren, his brothers and brothers-in-law 

 his nephews and nieces and his cousins and cousins-in-law, together 

 with the societies of which he was a member; he was recognized 

 in this country, and in Europe, Avhere he was known by his writings, 

 as one of the most honorable and honest men, as well as one of 

 the most eminent horticulturists. 



From 1880 to 1884 this society AA^as honored by the presidency of 

 the Hon. George D.Stitzel,of Reading, an honest, earnest man. From 



