Entered accor.liug to act of Congress, in the year 1873, by Hknkv T. Williams, iii the oflice of the 

 Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. 



* Meeting of the American Pomological Society. 



THE meeting of the American Pomological Society, held at Boston, September 

 10th to 12th, was a grand affair. The attendance of members was larger, and 

 the display of fruits more extensive and attractive in most departments than upon 

 any former occasion in the history of the Society. Fruits came from nearly all 

 sections of the United States and the Provinces — extending from Nova Scotia to 

 California. The exhibition must have been the most complete ever made in any 

 country. The collection of apples, in extent of varieties, outnumbered the show at 

 Richmond two years ago, but in point of perfection fell short ; while pears, grapes, 

 peaches and plumbs were superior. The fruit was displayed upon tables in the two 

 spacious halls belonging to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Great inter- 

 est was apparently felt by the citizens of Boston in the display', for the halls were 

 filled to repletion during the evenings, with more or less visitors at other hours of 

 the day. 



The members were the guests of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and 

 the committee of reception, consisting of Messrs. E. W. Buswell, B. G. Smith, H. 

 W. Fuller, J. E. M. Gilley and S. H. Frothingham, were indefatigable in their 

 efforts to make everything pleasant. For our part, we feel under special obligations 

 to those gentlemen for their kind attentions at times when we were too unwell to 

 take part in the meeting. 



This being the twenty-fifth anniversary of the existence of the Society, President 

 Wilder, in his able and instructive address before the Society, reviewed the circum- 

 stances which led to its organization, and thus spoke of its history and progress: 



" Briefly, then, let me state that the idea of a pomological convention appears to 

 have occurred to individuals in different states at about the same time — as new ideas 

 in regard to progress frequently do. Thus in the summer of 1848, consultation was 

 held with Andrew Jackson Downing, editor of the Horticulturist, then on a visit to 

 Boston, in regard to the chaotic condition of our pomology — the want of accurate 

 and well defined knowledge of our fruits ; the best means of improving the condition 

 of fruit culture, and the expediency of establishing an American society, so thtt, by 

 interchange of experience, we might preserve those fruits which were valuable, 

 discard those which were worthless, correct the confused nomenclature, and establish 

 a pomology for our whole country. To establish such a society was a great work, 

 but it was considered as the only means to accomplish the desired object. A oor- 

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