PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 219 



October 2, 1866. 



Mr. Nathau C. Ely iu the chair; Jolm W. Chambers, Secretary. 



Owiug to this being the opening day of the annual fruit show 

 of the American Institute, there was a large attendance. Yet the 

 discussion was not as varied and interesting as it is at some other 

 times, l)ecause all minds appeared bent in one direction, that is, 

 upon the show of fruit, flowers and other things in the exhibition 

 rooms. 



P. T. Quinn called the attention of members to an exhi!»itiou 

 of fruits from Viueland, N. J., grown in the despised sands of that 

 part of Jersey. There are specimens of pears larger than any of 

 the same variety from any other locality. He is a large success- 

 ful pear grov/er himself, but acknowledges beat. He attended an 

 exhibition at Vineland last week, where the fruits, flowers and 

 vegetables would have done credit to any county or State exhibi- 

 tion in the country. Duchesse pears of fifteen to twenty ounces 

 each were so common as hardly to excite attention on account of 

 their size. Grapes were abundant and remarkably good, Catawbas 

 particularly. Culinary vegetables were so abundant, there was 

 no room in the great hall for their proper exhibition. They were 

 in stacks and piles on and under the tables, and altogether made 

 such a show as he had never seen before. There was also a o-reat 

 show of people, estimated at 5,000, who were all attentive lis- 

 teners to Mr. Greeley's address. He remarked that he never 

 spoke to an audience which seemed to appreciate his lessons upon 

 agricultural improvements as fully as that at Vineland. Men and 

 women appeared to be all in earnest. 



The settlement of the Vineland tract commenced about four 

 years and a half ago. It has now a population of about 9,000, 

 and it has been lately ascertained that there are 500 acres of 

 strawberries, 250 acres of grapes, 200 acres of apples, 250 acres 

 of blackberries, 175 acres of pears, and over 200 acres of peach 

 trees. But the most remarkable part of all this fruit planting 

 lies in the fact that more than 3,000 fruit trees have been planted 

 by the roadside. It is one of the requirements of all purchasers 

 of land that the roadside shall be ornamented with trees. At first, 

 shade and ornamental trees were planted. Of late the fashion all 

 runs to fruit trees. The consequence will be a large settlement 

 unlike any other in America. It is reviving a good old German 

 fashion. 



