5-J 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



31 



remarks, and giving the substance in a few words. 

 The colored lithograph of a Seckel pear, and the 

 old Seckel pear tree is poor ; but the illustration of 

 Pennsylvania fruits in plain work very well done. 

 Of these there is the Cumberland Triumph cherry, 

 a magnificent fruit, quite equal to the Black Tar- 

 tarian, and the York Stripe and Pyle's red winter 

 apple. It is a good idea for a state society to rep- 

 resent its state fruits, especially when they are of 

 such a superior character that they will last for 

 many years, in all probability, before they become 

 obsolete. 



Transactions of Massachusetts Horticul- 

 tural Society, 1882. Part I. — From Robert 

 Manning, Secretary. We learn from that excellent 

 report that rose culture seems to be growing in 

 popular estimation in Massachusetts. $3,050 was 

 the sum appropriated for premiums for the season. 

 The papers and discussions refer to the taste for 

 ornamental trees, which, the general remarks of the 

 speakers indicated, did not grow near as fast as the 

 ability of modern nurserymen to supply the want. 

 Apple and pear culture seemed to indicate much 

 the same. There are numerous varieties in exist- 

 ence far better than many which are popular. The 

 great want seems not so much the encouragement 

 of new varieties, as better means of making known 

 the great number of good things which we already 

 have. Flower culture, especially hardy flower 

 culture, was freely discussed, and an immense 

 number of good things pointed out as suitable for 

 the latitude of Boston. An interesting paper on 

 the yellows in the peach is by Prof. Penhallow. 

 He found fungi at^every stage of the disease, and 

 described the species he found ; but the discussion 

 which followed showed that Prof. Penhallow's able 

 paper had not the slightest effect on the minds of 

 those who listened in inducing them to believe that 

 the yellows was caused by fungus. Indeed Dr. 

 Goessmann, who immediately followed, remarked 

 that " the disease may be due to atmospheric influ- 

 ences ; on a sultry day, when evaporation cannot 

 be carried on, stagnation may result and cause 

 disease." It would be just as well to show, by 

 experiments, that there is no evaporation on a 

 sultry day, as to rise in a public meeting and say 

 it " may be" so. It is, however, but justice to say 

 that Prof. Penhallow's .paper only deals with what 

 he found after the disease'^appeared. There is no 

 doubt but the fungus, which .^causes the disease, is 

 at work for a year before there is any evidence 

 afforded by the appearances on the tree, and that 

 this disease can be communicated by digging up a 

 mass of fungus-infested roots, and placing it in the 



ground about a healthy tree. This evidence, 

 already given in our pages, is worth more as 

 indicating the actual fungus origin of the disease 

 than any microscopical examination can be. 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



To Intelligent Correspondents. — Ail com- 

 munications relating to advertisements, subscrip- 

 tions, or other business, must be addressed to the 

 publisher, 814 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. 



All referring to the reading matter of the maga- 

 zine must be mailed to the editor, Gcrmantown, Pa. 



No express packages for the editor received un- 

 less prepaid ; and marked " Paid through to Ger- 

 mantown. Pa." 



Fertilizing Moss. — Mr. E. A. Caswell writes: 

 " Permit me to thank you for inserting my reply to 

 Mr. Henderson. Although the foot-note seemed 

 to you requisite, it seemed to me quite to warp 

 my meaning. The word " impartial " was in no 

 wise meant to attack Mr. H.'s judgment, it meant 

 merely that the plants should all be under simi- 

 lar conditions throughout their growth. I wrote 

 a letter to Mr. H. so stating, and disclaiming 

 the intention, by the word, of calling him in ques- 

 tion. I have a pleasant letter from him saying 

 that he took no umbrage at my article and deemed 

 the phrase " sneer " hardly called for. This mat- 

 ter having been pleasantly settled, Mr. H. and I 

 propose to have a competition under suitable con- 

 ditions. Perhaps you will find it legitimate news 

 to tell your readers that the Dumesnil moss had a 

 medal (bronze) given by the Massachusetts Hor- 

 ticultural Society, and that a bronze medal was 

 given to it Saturday by the American Institute Fair, 

 and also by them one for plants grown in it Hop- 

 ing to find some day as much favor in the eyes of 

 agricultural journals as we have before these other 

 tribunals, 1 remain yours with thanks." 



Advertisements. — Charles E. Parnell writes : 

 " Since the publication of the paper on single 

 dahlias in the December Monthly, I have received 

 many inquiries as to where they can be obtained, 

 I did not write the paper in question, and moreover 

 have not as yet cultivated them, so I cannot give 

 the desired information. I have answered all who 

 enclosed stamps for that purpose, but those who 

 sent postal cards remain unanswered, as it is 

 enough for me to reply without having to prepay 

 postage on queries that should be sent to the 

 editor." 



