158 Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 



criminating pomologist, Robert Manning, of Salem (who died in 1S43), 

 was now a regular attendant every week, with liberal collections of 

 rare fruits, almost always labelled ; and, in identifying doubtful va- 

 rieties, such was the confidence in his judgment and intelligence, 

 that no appeal was made from his decisions, either by the new or 

 old school of cultivators. He was an enthusiastic collector ; and in 

 the course of twenty-five years had brought together in his garden 

 nearly one thousand kinds of pears, and half as many of apples, 

 cherries, etc. He had the names and habits of the trees, and the 

 qualities of fruits, at his fingers' ends, and could identify most rare 

 kinds at sight. I remember two instances of his intuitive readiness 

 on this point : some member of the society had observed a barrel of 

 handsome red apples in Faneuil Hall market, brought from the South, 

 of which the name was unknown, and showed a specimen to Mr. 

 Manning for identification. He said at once, " it was the Pennock, 

 No. 7S5 of Coxe. If you cut it, you will find in it numerous small 

 specks of bitter rot ; a very popular apple, however, in Pennsylvania 

 and Western New York." Another exhibited the Julienne pear, then 

 sold in market under various names. Mr. Manning, after a moment's 

 examination, said, "its proper name was the Julienne, No. 12, of 

 Coxe ; a fine summer pear. Don't its long, bending branches have 

 peculiar swellings at their extremities?" "Yes." "That's it!" 

 In a public address, General Dearborn jDronounced his " services 

 invaluable to the society." His memory was so retentive, it was said 

 of him in Salem, that, during the war of 181 2, he could tell the 

 name of every private-armed American ship afloat, with the number 

 of her guns and men. 



The exertions of General Dearborn to open a correspondence with 

 leading horticulturists in Europe were heartily responded to, and at 

 meetings through the season letters full of interesting and valuable 

 facts were read by the president, among which was one from the 

 Horticultural Society of Paris, acknowledging the receipt of the scions 

 of American fruits, that had been collected by Mr. Downer, as before 

 stated. Mr. Downer's descriptive letter was published in the Annates 

 de la Societe Royalc d' Ilorticiilture de Paris, vol. vi., page 269 



