DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ALL ITS KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. 



CONGRESS OF FRUIT-GROWERS. 



The second .session of this association Avas held in 

 the city of New York, October 2d and 3d, 1849. So 

 great was the delay in publishing their proceedings, 

 that they have not appeared until very recently. 

 "We propose to make a general review of the Avork, 

 and give our readers the most important matters that 

 it contains. 



We would first premise that the discussions of in- 

 telligent fruit-growers convened from different parts 

 of our country, showing how each fruit taken into 

 consideration flourishes or fails in different climates 

 and localities, arc very interesting and instructive ; 

 and the assembling together of pomologists, the ex- 

 hibiting and comparing of specimens of fruit, and 

 the interchange of opinions, all have a valuable effect 

 in fixing on the best varieties, and disseminating 

 them over the land. So far very good. But when 

 such associations, composed of gentlemen from dis- 

 tant parts of a great country, recommend a list of 

 fruits for general cultivation, and fruit-growers place 

 implicit reliance on their opinion, and act accord- 

 ingly in their practical operations, without knowing 

 whether their section of the country was represented 

 in the convention that made the decision, or whether 

 the kinds of fruit recommended had been tried in 

 their region or climate, a great injury is often done 

 to the inexperienced. For instance, wo find that the 

 Congress have recommended some fruits that have 

 proved to be poor in New England, and others that 

 have not been tried, or sufficiently so to warrant a 

 decision in .their favor. "NVe remarked to a delegate 

 on his return from the Congress, who politely fur- 

 nished us with a list of fruits that had been recom- 

 mended, that of the list of apples, some were not 

 known in New England, and others had been tried 

 and found wanting. To this he replied, that the list 

 was mostly recommended by the Pennsylvania delega- 

 tion ; and this we learn by the report before us. This 

 fact shows that the decisions of a body made up from 

 an extensive country, are not reliable for every section. 



That this Congress was composed of gentlemen of 

 extensive knowledge in the science of pomology, we 

 do not doubt, and that they acted with a view to 



promote improvement in the great subject before 

 them, there is no question ; for these facts are evident 

 from their able transactions : their zeal and intelli- 

 gence are commendable, and the result of their can- 

 did and wise deliberations is an honor to our 

 country ; and we would venture to say, that more 

 wisdom in the same number could not be collected 

 in the old world. Though our country is young in 

 horticultural improvement, our steps are rapid, and 

 our course as thorough as the nature of the variable 

 and multifarious subject will admit. 



This Congress, after some discussion on the sub- 

 ject, determined to recommend a list of fruits for gen- 

 eral cultivation, also to prepare a list of worthless or 

 rejected fruits. Some objected to making a rejectixl 

 list, but as they established a rule to reject none ex- 

 cepting by a unanimous vote, and those i)roposed for 

 rejection should bo retained with the name of the 

 objector, no one could object to it ; and a rejected 

 list made with so much caution will be of important 

 service, particularly as we have five times as many 

 varieties of frviits as we need to cultivate. 



But the accepted list was made with much less 

 caution, or established by a very difl'ercnt rule. It 

 was formed by a vote of the congress, even when 

 several members objected to some varieties ; and we 

 regard this list as less reliable, or entitled to less con- 

 fidence, than the other. Wc may safely drop those 

 fruits which all condemn, but wc may not safely cul- 

 tivate those kinds which many condemn, which fail in 

 various sections, or which arc not generally known. 



AVith these preliminary remarks, which wc deem 

 essential to the reader, wc proceed to give a part of 

 the lists of fruits made by this Congress ; and we shall 

 continue the subject, and give the remainder soon. 



APPLES. 



List selected by the Congress in 1848. 

 Early Harvest, Large Yellow Bough, American 

 Summer Pcarmaiu, Summer Hose, Early Strawberry, 

 Gravenstein, Fall Pippin, Rhode Lsland Greening, 

 Baldwin, Roxburv Ru.sset ; and for pardciihtr locn/- 

 itics. Yellow Belle' rieur, Esopus 'Spitzenburg, New- 

 town Pippin. 



Additional List selected in 1849. 

 White Seek- no-further, Fameuso, Porter, Hub- 



