THE AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The proceedings of the third session of this Society have 

 recently been published, and are of more interest than either of 

 those which have preceded it. The assemblage of delegates 

 was not larger than at the last session in Philadelphia, but the 

 sittings were continued longer, and the discussions upon the 

 several fruits brought up, were more extended and appeared 

 to elicit more than usual information. It is a gratifying fact 

 to notice that great caution was manifested by the members, 

 in regard to the recommendation of new kinds for general 

 cultivation : perhaps too great in the opinion of some ama- 

 teurs and pomologists : for it can scarcely be expected that, 

 in the present state of fruit culture, individuals will agree; 

 generally in regard to the qualities of fruits of which man}^ 

 of them never raised a single specimen, and know little or 

 nothing of the habits and characteristics of the trees. If every 

 fruit which is brought forward to be added to the list for 

 general cultivation is to undergo this ordeal, the accessions, 

 will necessarily be very slow, so slow indeed that the few 

 zealous, energetic cultivators, who keep in advance of the 

 mass, will long enjoy the luxury of possessing some of the 

 most delicious fruits, while the majority are contented with 

 growing the older kinds, patiently waiting for that recom- 

 mendation of the Society, which can only be given when a 

 majority of its members, gathered from all parts of the coun- 

 try, shall decide upon it. We, by no means, would advise 

 any hasty course of action, to be afterwards regretted, but 

 still we are of the opinion that the experience of a few intel- 

 ligent cultivators, in remote localities, with any fruit, during 

 a period of three or four years, is sufficient to establish its 

 general character, without the personal experience of every 

 member. That this is the fact, will appear from an examina- 

 tion of the list of pears already approved for general cultiva- 

 tion, THREE (QUARTERS of whicli wcrc pronouuccd our very 



VOL. XXI. NO. II. 8 



