246 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



we can now appeal to various persons near London 

 who had the opportunity of tasting it, as witnesses 

 to its unrivalled excellence. " The most delicious 

 nectarine I ever ate." "The flavor is very deli- 

 cious, and it is altogether most exquisite : I do not 

 wonder at your speaking in such high terms of it." 

 "It is a superb fruit."" "Most delicious." Such 

 is the language in which great judges of fruit, ac- 

 customed to the finest known varieties, have spoken 

 of the specimens they received. 



The public will naturally be anxious to know 



how and where to procure such a nectarine as this. 

 For their information, we have to state that the 

 plants are exclusively in the possession of the Duke 

 of Northumberland, and that His Grace has order- 

 ed them to be sold, either by public auction or 

 private contract, as may appear most advisable, 

 for the benefit of an excellent, though ill-supported, 

 charity, the Gardeners' Benevolent Institu- 

 tion. Upon this subject we shall have some re- 

 marks to make hereafter. Gard. Chron. 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



The National Convention of Fruit Grow- 

 ers. — Since the publication of our last number, this 

 convention met in New- York, in ac ordance with 

 the call made by committees, representing the 

 Massachusetts and the Pennsylvania Horticultural 

 Societies, and the American Institute. 



Finding that the room, provided at Judson's Ho- 

 tel, Broadway, was not large enough to accommo- 

 date the members assembled, with their large con- 

 tributions of fruit, the convention was held in Clin- 

 ton Hall. 



It was by far the most important assemblage of 

 horticulturists ever convened in the United States. 

 Almost all the northern states were represented ; 

 and from as far west as St. Louis, delegates and 

 presidents of the various horticultural societies, ap- 

 peared and took part in the proceedings. Not only 

 was almost every horticultural society in the coun- 

 try represented, but a large number of the leading 

 agricultural societies sent delegates. We were 

 m^ch impressed by the concentration of pomolo- 

 o-ical talent in the convention ; nearly all the lead- 

 mg fruit growers and pomologists of the country 

 being present. 



Besides these, we noticed men distinguished in 

 our public councils, or scientific halls, — such as the 

 Hon. J. C. Gray, of Boston, Thos. Allen, Esq., 

 of Missouri, Hon. Jas. Arnold, of New-Bedford, 

 Dr. Hare, of Philadelphia, etc, all of whom took 

 an active part throughout the whole proceedings of 

 the meeting. 



Between two and three hundred members were 

 present ; men congregated from various parts of 

 the Union, and bringing with them the results of 

 varied experience, obtained by years of industry, in 

 different soils, latitudes and localities. 



The convention was opened on Tuesday, the 10th 

 of October, by General Tallmadge, the president 

 of the American Institute, who was chosen tempo- 

 rary chairman, for the purpose of organizing the 

 convention. On motion, a committee of nomina- 

 tion was appointed to nominate officers for the con- 

 vention, consisting of 



Samuel Walker, of Massachusetts, 



S. B. Parsons, of New- York, 



Thos. Hancock, of New-Jersey, 



J. W. Hayes, of New-Jersey, and 



Thos. Allen, of Missouri. 



And, also, a business committee, consisting of 

 J. J. Thomas, of Macedon, N. Y., 

 A. J. Downing, of Newburgh, N. Y., 

 R. S. Field, of Princeton, N. J. 



A committee was also appointed to receive and 

 arrange the specimens of fruit, brought by the 

 members of the convention. This occupied the 

 whole of the remainder of the first day ; the quan- 

 tity and variety of specimens, brought from all parts 

 of the country, surpassing the expectations of all 

 present, and exciting universal adniiration. The 

 pears and grapes from Massachusetts, and other 

 parts of New-England, and the superb apples 

 from western New- York and other parts of the 

 country, placed side by side, spoke loudly, both of 

 the skill of cultivators, and the natural fertility of 

 the soil in various parts of the country. It was al- 

 lowed, by all present, to be the finest display offruits 

 ever made in the city of New- York. Among the 

 remarkable specimens, we noticed a basket of 

 magnificent Onondaga pears, from western New- 

 York ; another of Heath Clings, from the banks of 

 the Hudson ; beautiful Northern Spy apples, St. 

 Martin's Quetsche plums, Aleppo grapes, and Beur- 

 re d'Anjou pears. The fair and delicious speci- 

 mens of those old pears, the Brown Beurre, and 

 Doyenne, abundantly supplied from the shores of 

 Lake Ontario, were contrasted with the same va- 

 rieties, almost worthless, from various other sec- 

 tions of the country, showing conclusively the im- 

 portance of certain soils, either new, or artificially 

 produced, for old varieties. 



The comparison of the various fruits, thus brought 

 together from all parts of the country, was almost 

 continually going on ; a great many facts were eli- 

 cited, many synonyms detected, and a large amount 

 of information imparted privately, which will not, 

 of course, appear in the report of proceedings. In- 

 deed, brought in contact, as we especially were, 

 with this phase of the convention, we could not but 

 think that even if it had been productive of no 

 other good than this private interchange of opi- 

 nions, the session would have amply repaid the la- 

 bors of all its members, — so great was the union 

 of knowledge possessed, and frankness in impart- 

 ing it, displayed by all who were present. 



The second day the convention organized, upon 



