SUMMER MEETING AT CHILLICOTHE. 43 



Smith's [lybrid, if a Hybrid it is. which I doubt, I take but little stock in ; it 

 has not yet fruited. J have only one tree, ;ind one-half of it is grafted over, so that 

 it will not take me long to change it to something else if it does not lill the bill. 

 Vicar is doing fine. 



Idaho was added to my list last year. A two-year-old Kieffer was top-worked 

 with it ; it grew fine, but yesterday 1 had to remove one-third of the top on account 

 of blight. This will cause me to go slow with it at present. Vermont Heauty was 

 added to my list this spring, but I can say nothing about it yet. 



Of apples, I expect to fruit a number of new ones this year, on which I will 

 report later. I have one, a crab, that the ciona were sent to me from 8t. Louis 

 county, which seems to be quite valuable ; to further describe it, 1 will quote Prof. 

 Tan Deman, to whom specimens were sent : "Your letter and crab-apples were 

 received yesterday. The specimen Is o;ie of tU3 largest of that class of apples that 

 I have ever seen ; it evidently is a variety of the wild crab-apples which grow in 

 the Central states. Soulard is a varietj^ of the same character also, and the fruit 

 is flat in shape instead of elongated, as the specimens which you sent. These 

 apples make excellent preserves or sauce, and I think are fully as good for this pur- 

 pose as the quince. I should like to have a full history of the variety, and suggest 

 that the name ' Hugo' be given it." 



This crab is very large for a crab, very fragrant, and has a very decided quince 

 flavor ; in fact, folks go for miles to the original tree to get a few specimens ( if 

 more can't be got) to flavor other fruits with. 



Another variety of apples, which seems to be rare if not new in this country, 

 I fruited last season. It is a variety of which I had received cions from Switzer- 

 land a few years ago. I get it under th-i name of Annanas Reiaette. The fruit, how- 

 ever, does not at all agree with the de3cription given in our leading work of Pomol- 

 ogy for that variety. Prof. Van Deman speaks of it as follows : "* * * I 

 agree with you that the name Annanas under which you received it, is not correct , 

 if we take as authority the description given in Downing's Fruit Trees of America. 

 The apple which you sent is medium in size, greenish yellow in color, and seems to 

 toe of very good quality, the flesh being solid and heavy, and the flavor rich and 

 pleasant. It might be well to have the variety tested in dilferent parts of the 

 country, and if possible, we should determine its true name." 



Kespectfully submitted, 



F. LlOXBERGER, 

 LOOKING BOTH WAYS. 



The following able paper is from the pen of Mr. W. E. Lauglilin, 

 formerly of this county, but now of College Springs, la. It was read 

 before a meeting of the Holt County Horticultural Society, held in 

 this city March 19th : 



Backward for thirty-nine years, forward toward all the future. 



My first acquaintance with this legion was in April and May, 1S53. Kansas 

 €ity was Independence landing. Leavenworth was fort and village. St. Joseph 

 "Was a small town, but a very lively outfitting place for a large share of the hordes 

 that swarmed across the plains and over the mountains to Oregon and California. 

 Des Moines was the fort, the old trading post, and some scattered new houses. 

 Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, had the garrison and an irregular huddle of tem- 

 porary houses in and on either side of a narrow creek bottom. The first shanty 

 had not been built where now is Omaha. 



