1880.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



255 



country waa parched and dried up with the 

 drought, but, while it was true that the winter 

 and the early spring had been without rain and 

 strong winds had prevailed beyond anything in 

 that line ever experienced before, yet, in spite of 

 all this, our visitors found to their surprise the 

 country clothed with luxuriant grass and be- 

 decked with gay flowers. Fruit and forest trees 

 have made a large growth. Copious rains have 

 met all requirements in this direction. In order 

 to understand the situation of this locality it 

 should be remembered that nine years ago the 

 very first settlers entered this part of the Arkan- 

 sas valley. On the 13th of November, 1871, the 

 first building was commenced in the city of 

 Hutchinson. The country around was possessed 

 by the buffalo, antelope and Indian, and the un- 

 broken prairie stretched away in every direction 

 in gentle undulations till it seemed to meet and 

 kiss the skies. These facts being known to our 

 visitors, it is not strange that they were surprised 

 to find a city of 2,000 inhabitants, with large, 

 well-finished stone and brick residences and busi- 

 ness houses, and to see the country in all direc- 

 tions dotted with groves of trees, some of which 

 measure from six to ten inches in diameter and 

 from thirty to forty feet high, all grown within 

 that time. 



The meeting was held in the M. E. Church, 

 which our ladies had decorated with plants and 

 flowers in a magnificent manner. The whole 

 rostrum was filled, behind, before, and on either 

 side, so that when the President was seated, his 

 face, radiant with intelligence and beaming with 

 benevolence, looked like a profile set in a frame 

 of brilliant flowers and vernal beauty. Reports 

 of the fruit prospects by the members from the 

 different parts of the State show that in the 

 eastern and southern portions of the State 

 the crop will be from medium to full, while 

 in the central parts, owing to a late freeze, 

 it is a failure. The address of President E. 

 Gale, of Manhattan, was an able setting forth of 

 the importance of increased intelligence on hor- 

 ticultural subjects among the rural population in 

 its relation to the happiness of the people and the 

 welfare of the nation. Able papers were read by a 

 number of the members, among the most impor- 

 tant were one on Landscape Gardening, by Presi- 

 dent Gale, one on the Apple, by Vice President 

 G.G. Johnson, ofLawrence, and one on Botany, by 

 Prof. J. W. Robson, of Dickinson County. Able 

 addresses were delivered on peach culture by 

 the young, energetic, and intelligent correspon- 



dent of the Gardeners' Monthly, H. E. Van 

 Deman, of Allen County ; on Floriculture by Mr. 

 Johnson and Prof. Robson, and on various other 

 subjects by other members. 



Discussions were had on the Apple, Peach, 

 Grape, Forest Trees, Vegetables, Gardens, Orni- 

 thology, Entomology, Irrigation and Small 

 Fruits. Secretary G. C. Brackett, of Lawrence, 

 exhibited six varieties of strawberries, the best 

 of forty varieties tested the past year. These 

 were sampled by all present, and pronounced 

 good, with the first two named at the head of the 

 list for both size and flavor. These six varieties 

 were the Cumberland Triumph, Crescent Seed- 

 ling, Charles Downing, Captain Jack, Wilson 

 and Austin. 



For earnestness, energy, intelligence, persever- 

 ance and " snap," this society will compare fa- 

 vorably with any similar organization I have 

 ever known. The annual report of this society 

 for 1879, just issued, is an 8vo volume of 460 

 pages, and is far superior to any similar publi- 

 cation in the country. 



Some of the members claimed it to be the 

 most interesting and profitable semi-annual ses- 

 sion ever held by the society. We believe the 

 influence for good on our people in this locality 

 will be both lasting and powerful. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



The Nurserymen's Association. — The Chicago 

 meeting was very successful. Over a hundred 

 of the best firms were represented. T S. Hub- 

 bard presided, and responded in a good address 

 to the welcome of Chicago through Edgar San- 

 ders. Tree peddlers came in for special atten- 

 tion. General diffusion of knowledge was noted 

 as the only practicable remedy. In regard to 

 making better terms with railroads for transport- 

 ing nursery products, nothing seems to have 

 been done. The reports of the quantity of stock 

 on hand were pretty much as usual, no one 

 reporting that there was any special overstock. 

 Mr. Albaugh, of Tadmore, Ohio, was elected 

 President for next year, and Dayton, Ohio, as the 

 place of meeting. Among the cultural papers, 

 the Phylloxera, shade for fruit trees, propagating, 

 stocks and scions, and similar topics. 



The meeting was well received by the Chicago 

 brethren, and rides round the beautiful parks 

 and other hospitalities generously provided. 



