• 1877.] REPORT OP THE SECRETARY. -33 



quence, were; that they were worked like pack-horses, while needed, and 

 thereafter turned out to grass ; was never asserted by the writer, because 

 the facts were not known to him; is not now doubted, because it is pro- 

 claimed by Mr. Meehan: but is not absolutely stated since, even if true, 

 it would be immaterial to the precise issue. The gravamen of the charge 

 against the Centennial Commission, in these Eeports, was that such rep- 

 resentative men as " John A. Warder, Patrick Barry, Charles Downing, 

 " John J. Thomas, and, — clarum et venerahile nomen, — Marshall P. Wilder; 

 " were not selected to adjudicate upon ^Northern Pomological Products.^ " 

 i'or the Circular from Philadelphia was sectional in that it invited com- 

 petition solely from Northern Pomologists. Mr. Meehan admits that his 

 colleagues and himself served without "recognition." Were they also 

 self-constituted Judges — without invitation ? But it is added that no 

 knowledge ever came to Philadelphia of the willingness of Downing, 

 Warder, &c , &c., to undertake this long and weary service. Why should 

 it, when these gentlemen were not asked ! The truth is, — and all the 

 casuistry between the Delaware and Schuylkill cannot confuse it, — that 

 the actual judges did their work well. But that it might have been done 

 better, is only a just and legitimate inference from the peculiar composi- 

 tion of the bench which assumed or undertook the task. Pennsylvania 

 may have originated the Seckel and Tyson: yet Massachusetts challenges 

 her for superiority of specimens. A back-yard in Girard Row developed the 

 BrincMe^s Orange Raspberry : but it is quite neglected in its birth-place, 

 although growing and yielding to perfection in this city of Worcester. 

 Here is the home of the Apple; of the Leicester Winter Siveet, and the 

 Washingt07i Boyal; of the Holden Fippin and the Mother; of the Sterling 

 and the Hubhardston Nonesuch. Shall we have to recite the origin, within 

 an hour's journey, of the Eoxbury Eussett, the Baldwin, or the 

 Ehode Island Greening? Cannot a country that will produce such 

 fruits, grow "noble Eomans" also, might have been a pertinent inquiry, 

 it would seem, for the Centennial Commission or even the Tail-Centre 

 of the " Bureau of Agriculture" ! 



Au reste ! Mr. Meehan is facetious; poking fun at defunct Eomans. 

 He is not ashamed to confess his ignorance of the nature of their "work" 

 when in the flesh. Might he not take it for granted, if only because of 

 their fair standing in the community, that they were engaged in Civil 

 Service Eeform? If Virgil could pen the Georgics, but a few years later, 

 why assume so coolly on the strength of "what we do not know" that the 

 noblest Eoman of them all never "did work like this" ! '^ Facilis des- 

 census Averni /" May they not, now at least, thoroughly comprehend 

 the application of bottom-heat? 



Neither, in his calm Bseotia, has he ever heard of " Clarum et venera- 



