where the clay and limestone arc nearer the surface. 1 waH much Burprised to 6ee the 

 Quince do so poorly ; the shoots were slender us needles and had no leaves on. The 

 Peard had been leatless nearly a couple of months. There is something to study here, 

 and I wished for a month of time to look into the matter thoroughly. 



You will see this matter touched upon in the proceedings of the Fruit Growers. The 

 exhiliition of fruits made by the society was a splendid one. I really mean .splendid, es- 

 pecially in apples. About 300 feet of tables were loaded with heaped-up dishes of mon- 

 strous fruit. You must pardon a free use of adjectiv-s. 



In one collection, that of Mr. A. llillcry, I should think that the specimens ranged 

 between 18 and 25 ounces, and fair as wax work. 



Yellow Belle-flowers, Ortleys, Maiden's Blush, llambo. Fall Pippin, Vandcrvcer, &.C., 

 so large that I barely recognized them. 



The large hall was most tastefully and conveniently arranged. There were between 

 40 and 50 contributors from Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and New York. I have never 

 before seen so large a collection of fruits gathered together from so wide an area ; from 

 this you may judge how novel and instructive it was. I cannot go into any details re- 

 specting these collections farther than to say that the largest were 

 Messrs. Avery and Comstock, Burlington, - 

 W. Stewart L Son, Quincy, 111. - - - - 

 Edson Ilarkness, Peoria, III. . . - - 

 Finley & Dwire, Davenport, Iowa, - - - 

 John Belanger, Dover, 111. - - . - 

 A. II. "Whitney, Franklin Grove, Lee Co., 111. 

 Arthur Bryant, President of the Society, 

 D. F. Kinney, Rock Island, .... 



A. G. Ilanford, Waukesha, Wis. . - - - 

 Messrs. Leonard, Burlington, .... 

 Messrs. Neeley & Brother, Burlington, 

 Rogers & Woodward, Marengo, 111. 

 Chas. II. Ilibbard, " ... 



A. Hillary, of Burlington, filled a table with superb specimens, forming the most at- 

 tractive collection in the room. 



Of New York contributors, there were Messrs. Thorp, Smith, and Ilanchett, of Syra- 

 cuse, 71 varieties of pears and 41 of apples. 



T. C. Maxwell & Brother, of Geneva, 48 varieties of pears, and Primate and Wagner 

 apples. 



Manly & Mason, Buffalo, a collection of pears. 



Ellwanger & Barry, 144 varieties of pears, 89 varieties of apples, and 79 varieties of 

 Plums. 



Dr. D. T. Hull, of Alton, celebrated as a successful peach grower, 5 varieties of pears 

 and 2 of peaches ; his large collection of peaches intended for the exhibition did not ar- 

 rive in time. 



These are but a part of the great display, enough to show what a gathering was there. 

 You will find all the details in the published proceedings ns soon as they get into print. 

 The discussions took a wide range, and will be read with great interest. 

 I had so many things to see in a short visit, that I was reluctantly compelled to absent 

 myself from the rooms a considerable portion of the time. 



I can say that I have never seen a meeting of this kind devote itself to its proper bu- 

 siness with greater assiduity. The members were all men of real western energy of cha- 



