1876.^ 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



63 



Dr. J. Stayman, of the Committee on Vegetable 

 Gardening, read a report or an essay giving di- 

 rections to all engaged in either market or liome 

 gardening. They did not differ from those 

 usually given for the more Eastern States. Dur- 

 ing the evening of the first day an address of 

 welcome was given by Mr. R. A. Parker, from the 

 citizens of Manhattan, and responded to by H. E. 

 Van Deman, on the part of the Society. 



It is a noteworthy fact that since its first or- 

 ganization, the members of this Society have 

 been most freely and generously welcomed to 

 the homes of the citizens of every place in which 

 its meetings have been held. Indeed, we think, 

 for the State and the Society, this method of cir- 

 culatory meetings is far better than a permanent 

 location. 



The officers elected for the ensuing year are : 

 President, E. Gale, of Manhattan ; Vice Presi- 

 dent, Robert Milliken, of Emporia; Secretary, 

 G. C. Brackett, of Lawrence; Trustees, H. E. 

 Van Deman, of Geneva ; D. B. Skeeles, of Gales- 

 burgh; and Geo. Y. Johnson, of Lawrence; 

 Treasurer, F. Wellhouse, of Leavenworth. 



Following the report of the standing Commit- 

 tee on Arboriculture was a long discussion on 

 windbreaks, their uses and construction, the best 

 trees to plant in them, &c. The cottonwood 

 seems to be one of the most available and suit- 

 able. Lombardy poplar, the ash and elm in their 

 native species, the silver maple, and better than 

 all for a quick growth, good fuel, besides a quan- 

 tity of fruit, the common seedling peach, that 

 can easily be obtained and grown by the people. 



We had a most instructive talk, as he called 

 it, from Prof. Wm. K. Kedzie, of Kansas State 

 Agricultural College, on the experimental sta- 

 tions of Europe, based upon his recent tour of 

 observations among these institutions. He 

 thought America should not be blind to the value 

 of such great instructors as similar sta- 

 tions would be in this country. Private indi- 

 viduals cannot afford the time and means to 

 properly carry out this grand idea, and the gen- 

 eral government or the States should each foster 

 it. We of Kansas propose to see first what can 

 be done without money, and hope to inaugurate 

 a series of experiments that may never stop short 

 of untold good to the fruit growers of this region. 

 With such a live, willing, working chemist as 

 our young Kedzie, and such an entomologist as 

 Riley, of Missouri, to aid us, we may hope to 

 reach some sound conclusions. 



This latter enthiisiastic worker favored us with 

 his presence, and in his quiet, plain, sensible way 

 gave us much instruction. He who rides a bug 

 for a hobby certainly has a lively time if he 

 keeps his seat, but Riley comes as near it as the 

 next one. The grasshopper from the Rocky 

 Mountains gave him a rough jolting this last 

 trip, and indeed this whole Western country has 

 felt the effects of the ride. We want the govern- 

 ment to order a survey of the region from whence 

 they came and to which they have gone, which 

 lies in the Rocky Mountain plateaus of Northern 

 United States. Perhaps we can then be able to 

 effectively combat the devastators. You see that 

 we, from necessity, are horticulturists of the 

 rough and ready pioneer sort, who can scarcely 

 yet get to even discuss the more aesthetic and 

 elaborate departments of the subject. We have 

 aspirations, but must needs first lay the founda- 

 tions for what are as yet but our air-castles. 



Let me say that the tree act of Congress, grant- 

 ing lands to those who should plant and cultivate 

 a certain per cent, of the acres taken, has proved 

 entirely abortive in Kansas. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



The Southern States' Agricultural and In- 

 dustrial Exposition. — It is sometimes said 

 of Southern people that they lack energy and 

 " push." The managers of this society are not 

 open to this charge. There never was an enter- 

 prise better advertised. This is to be held for 

 ten days from Feb. 26th. It happened recently 

 that we had the pleasure of going through these 

 fair grounds at New Orleans, and can conceive 

 of nothing more beautiful to a Northern eye. 

 If any of our readers would like to know how it 

 feels to walk down an avenue of Orange trees, 

 and see the Banana, the Pomegranate, and similar 

 things flourish in the open air, he could not do 

 better than take a trip to New Orleans, and do it 

 at the time of the holding of this great fair. If 

 he wishes to take his horticultural products 

 along for exhibition he can do so, and get a 

 schedule, with a colored lithograph of the beau- 

 tiful grounds, from Sam'l Mullen, Esq., New Or- 

 leans. 



The Centennial Exhibition. — Tlie exhibition 

 was looked on rather coldly in England for 

 awhile, and, perhaps, considering the superiority 

 of English gardening over ours, it was but na- 



