SUMMER MEETING, 1893. 207 



ceived one with the high-sounding- name, "Oriental Fertilizer,'' an 

 insect destroyer that would make plum trees bear every year; kill 

 all injurious insects but no others; kill all the diseases of the tree — 

 and all for seventy-five cents. He was foolish enoug-h to trj' the ex- 

 periment on his own trees, instead of those of the station, and found 

 it killed them inside of two hours. These things on the market are 

 generally useless and expensive. But with proper knowledge it is 

 generally possible to kill the injurious kinds of insects. 



Prof. Harry Snj^der responded to the topic, "Chemistry in Horti- 

 cvilture.'' Mr. Sn3^der spoke of the beginnings of organic chemistrj'; 

 of their following the mysteries of the black art, alchemj^, and how 

 even now the science and its application to horticulture and other 

 arts, is retarded by superstitions still lingering from the old, old be- 

 liefs. In New England there's a week known as the week in 



September, and the farmers believe that potatoes dug in this week 

 will be better. But these are disappearing, and the chemist is able 

 to do much to assist the farmer and the horticulturist. He can even 

 produce in the laboratorj- the flavors of the various fruits. Mr. 

 Snyder closed by giving to the members a hearty invitation to send 

 to the Experimental School at anj^ time when they needed assist- 

 ance in regard to injurious insects, soils, methods, etc., assuring 

 them that their requests would receive willing and gratuitous at- 

 tention. 



Mr. C. W. Sampson, who spent last winter in California, was called 

 upon to speak on "What Most Interested me in Pomona." Leaving 

 the banks of Lake Minnetonka in September, when fall had begun 

 to hold sway, the change to lower California was almost like going 

 into the Garden of Eden. Xotwithstauliag this beauty, and the 

 profusion of crops, Mr. Sampson prefers to remain in Minnesota 

 and try for a few years longer what he can do in small fruits. Aside 

 from oranges, he thinks the quality of our fruit is far ahead that of 

 California. 



At this point Col. Stevens offered a motion, thanking Professors 

 Smith and Green and their families for their verj^ pleasant and 

 gracious hospitality, which was warml}" seconded by all present. 



Mr. J. W. Manning, an extensive fruit grower of Reading, Mass., 

 was present and the president called upon him to speak of "The 

 Beauties of Horticulture, viewed from Nova Scotia and the Great 

 Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico." Mr. Manning said this was a wide 

 field, but he had been there. He spoke of the universal cultivation 

 of the straw^berry, having eaten it as gathered by the Indians on 

 the banks of the Saginaw, and enjoyed the luxur}' of the fruit at Gal- 

 veston, Texas. It seemed strange to hear him saj' that it had been 

 but a comparatively short time since this fruit began to be cultiva- 

 ted in gardens and that, in this time, nothing had been gained in 

 qnaiitj'. The speaker referred to the various changes and new 

 plants introduced in his day, the Norway spruce, numberless var- 

 ieties of apples, the roses, and the multiplying of varieties in many 

 lines. The hour was getting late and many were leaving as Mr. 

 Manning was speaking, which led him, doubtless to cut short his 

 remarks, a fact to be regretted, as a man of such wide experience 

 must have had much of value and interest to relate. 



