ss- 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[November, 



a new variety, which would possess in a greater 

 or less degree the characteristics of the parent 

 plants, and it is doubtful whether Duhamel, Van 

 Mons, or Noisette were actjuaintcd with this won- 

 derful art for the indefinite improvement of our 

 fruits. 



This is the art that doth help nature, and great 

 as has been the progress in our time, it is but as 

 the dawn of th^t day when every section of our 

 varied climes shall be furnished with products of 

 the earth as well adapted to each as the people 

 who inhabit them. How grand the acquisitions 

 of this art in our day ! It is only about fifty years 

 since Mr. Hovey, myself, or other cultivators of 

 our country, attempted the hybridization of fruits 

 or flowers. Now the knowledge of this art is as 

 well understood as the cultivation of the soil. 

 These are the means provided by an all-wise 

 Providence for the improvement of our fruits. 

 Would that Prince, Downing, Brinckle, and those 

 other pioneers who have gone before us, could 

 now witness the amazing advances which have 

 resulted from their labors in this cause. O that I 

 could live to participate a little longer in the 

 glorious harvest which is to be gathered from the 

 influence of this art in improving the fruits of our 

 land. These are benefactions which you will 

 leave for the generations that are to follow you — 

 memorials of your love of nature, of home and 

 kindred, which shall live in the hearts of grateful 

 millions, long after you shall have been sleeping 

 in the dust. • . 



Thus have I spoken for a long course of years 

 of the importance of this branch of our duty. 

 Thus would I preach while life shall last. " Plant 

 the most rpature and perfect seeds of the most 

 hardy, vigorous and valuable varieties, and as a 

 shorter process, insuring more certain and happy 

 results, cross and hybridize our finest kinds for still 

 greater excellence." And should my muse te able 

 to reach you from the spirit land, she would, as 

 with telephonic voice, still chant in your ears the 

 same old song, — 



Plant the best speeds of every good fruit, 

 (joiid fruits to raise, some lands to suit ; 

 Fruits which shall live, tlieir bounties to slied, 

 On millions of souls, when you shall be dead. 

 These are creations that do the world good. 

 Treasures and pleasures, with health in your food ; 

 Pleasures which leave in the mem'ry no sting, 

 No grief on the soul, no stain on Time's wing. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SOCIETY. 



With the establishment of the American Pomo- 

 logical Society, a new era dawned on the science 

 of fruit culture on this continent. The spirit that 

 animated Van Mons, Knight, Noisette, Esperen, 

 Bivort, and ether savants of Europe, reached our 

 shore and spread its benign influence across our 

 continent; and wherever the school, the church, 

 or the foot of American civilization has found a 

 home, there our fruit-culture has been seen to fol- 

 low as the handmaid of refinement, health and 

 domestic comfort. This enterprise has now awak- 

 ened a zeal through our borders which was never 

 before known in the annals of pomologieal science. 

 Strange, indeed, that it should be left for us of this 

 new world to estabUsh the first great National 



Society for its promotion — a society which em- 

 braces in its organization the largest area and the • 

 most varied climate and soil of the globe, where 

 almost all fruits may be grown with success. 



The progress of fruit culture in our land is in- 

 deed wonderful. To encourage this by a cordial 

 spirit of intercourse, to elicit and disseminate cor- 

 rect information in regard to the fruits of our vast 

 territory, and to direct, control and advance this 

 most important branch of terraculture, were the 

 objects in view ; and thus to establish a pomology 

 for America which shall endure long after its 

 founders shall have passed from the earth. 



Few are aware of the powerful influences which 

 this association has exerted and is exercising on 

 the pomology of our country. Its organization 

 covers our entire continent, and its importance and 

 usefulness is everywhere, both at home and abroad, 

 highly appreciated and acknowledged. No event 

 in the history of pomologieal science during the 

 present century has been fraught with such bene- 

 ficent results as those which have transpired since 

 the founding of our association. This institution, 

 now in the thirty-fifth year of its existence, embrac- 

 ing as it does official representatives of the best 

 experience from every section of our immense 

 domain, all working in harmony to carry out our 

 work to higher and higher degrees of improve- 

 ment, has assumed proportions which are not only 

 national but continental, and embraces in its or- 

 ganization the largest territory and the most 

 wonderful facilities for fruit culture on the globe. 



Other societies for the promotion of pomology 

 have been formed and are powerful adjuncts — 

 other societies will rise up to aid us in the future, 

 but the American Pomologieal Society will con- 

 tinue to be, as it has been in the past, the acknowl- 

 edged authority of pomology for this western 

 hemisphere. 



So may it be, so may it spread its benign in- 

 fluences over our whole continent, until every man, 

 woman and child shall participate in its enjoyments, 

 and all realize the blessings of paradise regained 

 on earth. 



With a territory unequalled in extent and in 

 variety of soil and climate for the growth of fruits, 

 our Society naturally became the leader and con- 

 servator of this great interest on this continent. ^ 

 And thus, in the order of Providence, it has been 

 the herald, the protector and almoner of one of 

 the most important departments of our industries. 

 Nor is this all . Its example and its formula of 

 business proceedings and catalogue of fruits, have 

 been adopted not only by our American societies 

 but by the nations of the old world. Well and 

 worthily has it fulfilled the design of its founders. 

 Long may it live to carry on and perfect its glori- 

 ous mission. 



Such, gentlemen, is the magnitude of our associ- 

 ation, and on you and those who are to succeed 

 you, depends the great duty of fostering and per- 

 petuating it through the generations of all coming 

 time. 



Protect, preserve and perpetuate it, and 

 yonr names shall be enrolled as benefactors of our 

 land and of mankind! 



