TRIBUTE TO M. GIDEON. 33 
that those who have never tried it do not realize, and I think Mr. Gideon 
derived more enjoyment and satisfaction from the work he accomplished 
than did Alexander or Napoleon in their chosen work. 
Capt. Cross: I want to add a word of interest to the story that 
Mr. Brand has told. A few weeks ago Col. Stevens told me this 
same story, and he added that one winter day Mr. Gideon walked 
all the way from his farm to Col. Stevens’ place and asked him for a 
loan of five dollars with which he could send to Canada and Maine 
and procure a bushel of apple seeds, and out of that bushel of seeds he 
hoped to get at least one good variety. Col. Stevens let him have the 
five dollars; he sent for the seed, and out of that seed came the 
Wealthy apple. 
A VISIT TO EXCELSIOR. 
A. J. PHILIPS, SECRETARY, WEST SALEM, WIS. 
After attending the very interesting and, I trust, profitable session of your 
state society, I esteemed it both a privilege and a duty to visit the old home 
and orchard of Peter M. Gideon, whom your society honored by the memo- 
rial service on Thursday of your meeting. Everywhere you go in his three 
orchards you see the work of his busy hands. Many fine top-worked trees 
are without labels. Time alone can reveal what the tops are, and we can 
only guess what the stocks are. While no doubt there are valuable fruits 
among these seedlings, I think, beyond a doubt, from their appearance, 
there are stocks among them that for top-grafting will rival anything that 
ever has been grown—vigorous, square shouldered specimens. I advised his 
son to cut some scions from some I selected and commence at once the pro- 
duction of stocks for that purpose. I felt while walking around the house 
and among the trees and while standing on the spot where the old Wealthy 
stood, that I was standing on sacred. historic grounds. I hope the property 
will be so arranged that much for the good of horticulture will yet be real- 
ized from Mr. Gideon’s work. 
Mr. Gideon is not the only Excelsior man who will be kindly remembered 
for his work, for in company with Bro. Wedge I visited the fine orchard 
of Mr. H. M. Lyman and saw the old Prolific, the finest specimen of an old 
crab tree I ever saw. Its spread is nearly thirty-six feet. This tree and 
fruit I consider destined to take the position among the crabs of the north 
that the Wealthy does among apples. While Mr. Lyman appreciated this 
and has produced over one hundred young bearing trees, still his modesty 
has kept him from pushing it out among planters as it deserves to be. I 
think your state did a wise thing when you placed it in your list. Mr. Lyman 
has other fine trees and a beautiful home surrounded with evergreens of 
thirty years growth. Here, too, I found a seedling tree that I think well 
adapted for a stock, at least I secured a few scions and will try it. 
