168 



THE OABDENER'S MONTHLY 



[May, 



been, and always would be a failure." This 

 brought to their feet many persons of experience 

 and observation, who denied the declaration of 

 the resolution, and gave positive testimony 

 against it. This sort of shells is the kind to 

 rouse the sleepers and provoke discussion and 

 elicit fiicts. We are glad it was oflfered, and 

 indeed it was presented to bring out facts. Al- 

 though the mover bravely stood his ground, it 

 was lost in a vote with only one on the affirma- 

 tive. Another fact demonstrated was, that ap- 

 ple and pear trees trained with high heads, or 

 rather with tall trunks, are badly sun-scalded on 

 the south-west side. They must be headed very 

 low in this climate — say 1 to 2 feet above ground 

 and the trunks kept protected by the shade of 

 the branches. Also plant with an inclination to 

 the south-west. 



The officers elected for the present year are. 

 President, H. E. Van Deman, Geneva; Vice- 

 President, W. W. Tipton, Burlington ; Secretary, 

 G. W. Ashby, Chanute ; Treasurer, M. Bailey, 

 Chanute; Directors, A Shinn, Ft. Scott; H. A. 

 B. Cook, Blue Mound ; and Frank Bacon, Chan- 

 ute. 



During both evening sessions we were delight- 

 ed and cheered by songs from a select company 

 of singeri, belonging to the city of Chanute, 

 accompanied by the music of the cabinet organ. 

 We thmk this accompaniment of music a de- 

 cided help to a horticultural gathering, and 

 indeed a most lawful outgrowth of the spirit, we, 

 as a society, strive to awaken. Let others copy. 

 There was no show of fruits, for it was not ex- 

 pected by the members who might have brought 

 them. Then there are very few specimens to 

 exhibit this year, and more especially in this 

 newly settled section of Kansas. There are, 

 however, a very few orchariis now nearly twenty 

 years old. 



Of house-plants we had a small, but handsome 

 display from the window-garden,^ of Chanute. 

 The next meeting will be held in Burlington, 

 Ck)ffey Co., in the month of October, 1876. 



NORTHERN IOWA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BY X. 



We had a very pleasant, and I trust profitable, 

 meeting of the Northern Illinoi.s Horticultural 

 Society, at Crystal Lake, III., the last week in 

 January. Although the place of meeting did 

 not suit many who reside near the west and 



south border of the district — it being on the ex- 

 treme northern line — yet we had an increased 

 attendance, with more interest manifested than 

 at any meeting of the Society I have attended in 

 the past five years. Most of the veterans were 

 there, and some new faces, Avho were gladly wel- 

 comed to our ranks. Notably absent, and occa- 

 sioning universal regret, were Douglass, Edwards 

 and McAffee. The papers presented were of 

 more than ordinary interest. One by Tyler 

 McWhorter, on Landscape Gardening, illustrated 

 by drawings, was remarkable for its clear percep- 

 tion of beauty combined with utility in arranging 

 ordinary farm dwellings and grounds. This pa- 

 per deserves a much wider dissemination than 

 it will receive in the State Reports. 



Mr. Cochrane, of Blue Island, near Chicago, 

 gave us an interesting familiar talk on orchids, 

 their habits, treatment, &c., and the influence of 

 flowers in home life. The great attention shown 

 to his remarks, and applause at times, demon- 

 strated the growing interest in all classes of a 

 higher estimation of floriculture. By a vote of 

 the Society he will at our next annual meeting 

 continue the subject and illustrate his subject 

 with specimen plants of this unique and beauti- 

 ful family Steps were taken to have an 

 arbor day appointed ^or the State, and every 

 exertion will be made to make the Centen- 

 nial year celebrated by a wonderful increase in 

 the number of trees planted. Delegates were in 

 attendance from Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and 

 other States. The next meeting was appointed 

 at Franklin Grove, 111. Much interest was man- 

 ifested by other towns to secure the meeting, but 

 a few things turned the scale in favor of the 

 Grove. First, A. R. Whitney is one of the most 

 active horticulturists we have, always lending 

 his time and means to the various Societies in 

 the North-west, and so modest that up to this 

 time he has never asked or received a favor. 

 Second, we all want to see the elder Whitney 

 once more. He is now in his 84th year, yet 

 stands erect, and will walk his mile as fast as 

 even his grand-children. It being Centennial 

 year both of the Whitneys are set down for 

 speeches. Your Monthly being our organ in the 

 West }\s much as it is in the East, we feel a little 

 like demanding your presence next winter. 

 Please come and see what rapid strides we are 

 making in horticulture. The West has passed 

 the pioneer age, and a taste for the beautiful is 

 rapidly developing. At the Crystal Lake meet- 

 ing, it was decided to hold a convention of nur- 



