280 



GENESEE FARMER 



Nov. 



The Convention then discussed the propriety 

 of preparing a list of rejected as well as good 

 ' varieties, and various other topics, until the af- 

 ternoon, when (he Special Fruit Committee re- 

 ported as follows : 



REPORT OF THE SPECIAL FRUIT COIIMITTEE. 



The Special Fruit Committee to vvliom has been assigned 

 the duty of presenting select lists of fruits, respectfully 

 re])ort — 



That, after consideration, they find it impossible, in the 

 present state of pomological information, to offer to the 

 Convention now assembled any extended list, comprising- 

 any considerable number of fruits worthy of general cul- 

 tivation. 



This embarrassment arises from two causes : first, in the 

 fact that many excellent varieties, well known and highly 

 approved ih those sections of the Union where cei^iain 

 members of the committee reside, are either partially or 

 wholly unknown in sections where other members reside, 

 and consequently no unanimous action could be had on 

 those varieties. Second, in the fact, that a large number of 

 varieties are only well proved in certain localities, and 

 therefore, from this very fact, 'cannot be recommended for 

 general cultivation. They, therefore, conceive that the 

 preparation of extended lists of varieties worthy to be 

 recommended to the public generally by this Convention, 

 is a labor which requires more time, research and expe- 

 rience, and can only be satisfactorily performed byageneral 

 committee, with sub-committees in various portions of the 

 Lnion, which shall be in constant activity, for the purpose 

 of acquiring this information in order to lay it in a satis- 

 fiictory shape, before this Convention, at a future meeting. 



It may seem to many members of this body aneasy task 

 to designate 50 or even lUO excellent fruits of any class for 

 general cultivation; but actual comparisons of facts and in- 

 formation on this subject, possessed by the different mem- 

 bers of this committee, has convinced them that it is ex- 

 ti-emely diftlcult to get an unanimous verdict in favor of 

 even ten varieties of any one class of fruits. There is such 

 a diversity of experience, and consequrntly of opinion, 

 respecting the merits of even well known varieties, that 

 many fruits that have long enjoyed the most irreproachable 

 character in one part of the cjuntry, are found on inquiry, 

 to have the most indifferent reputation in another section, 

 indeed,^ so difficult is it from these causes, to do what at 

 first sigiu seems so easy, that your committee have been 

 reminded of the remark which an inexperienced politician 

 once made to an eminent statesman in the political turmoil 

 which was going forward— " why," .said he, "why make 

 a. I this noise and trouble about Preaident ; why not ar^rce 

 on some good man and elect him at once," 



t^ome other committee, more capable than the present 

 one, miglit perhaps have been able to agree at once upon 

 lists of 100 varieties of apples and pears ; but we have only, 

 after considerable discussion, been able to resolve to sub- 

 mit the following very small lists— leaving to the future 

 committees, with months instead of hours at their disposal, 

 to arrive at more extended and complete results :— 



Apples. For General Cultivation.— Y^mly Harvest, Large 

 letlow liough, American Summer Pearmain, Gravenstein, 

 .Rummer Rose, Earley Strawberry, Full Pippin, Rhode 



t! ^J^''^"'"^' Baldwin, Roxbury Russet. 



l-or Particular Localities.— Yellow Bellflower, Svvaar, 

 Lsopus Spitzenburg, and Newtown Pippin. 



Pkars. For General Cultivation. — MadeWme, Dear- 

 born s Seedling, Bloodgood, Tyson, Bartlett, Louise Bonne 

 de Jersey (onqumce) Seckel, Flemish Beauty, Beurre Bosc 

 Winter Nelis, Beurre d'Arremberg, Golden Beurre efBilboa' 



I'or Certain Localities. — White Doyenne and Gray 

 Doyenne. 



Peaches. For General Cultivution.— Grouse Mignone, 

 Early York (serrated,) Old Mixon Free, George the 4th, 

 Cooledge s Favorite, Crawford's Late, Bergeivs Yellow. 

 Large Early York, Morris' White. 



For Certain Locali/ies.— Heath Cling. 



Flums. For General Cultivation.— ie^'exson, Wa.shing- 

 ton. Green Gago, Purple F.avorite, Coe's Golden Drop, 

 BJeeker's Gage, Frost Gage, Purple Gage. 



For Certain Localities. — Imperial (Jage. 

 Cherries. For General CuUirul'on. — WlnQk Ea"-le, 

 May Duke, Graffion or Biggarrea i, Black Tartarfanj 

 Knights' Early Black, Downer's Latelfcd, Elton, Downton. 



The report was taken up, and each variety 

 discussed by the Convention. The discussion 

 was one of great interest, and we shall at a 

 future time refer to it. It will all be embodied 

 in the report of the proceedings. 



On the third day the subject of future meet- 

 ings was brought forward by Dr. Herman Wen- 

 dell, of Albany. He said it was well known to 

 most of the gentlemen present that a North 

 American Pomological Convention had been re- 

 cently held at Buffalo, at which 12 States, as 

 well as both the Canadas, were represented by 

 large delegations of enlightened pomologists — 

 and, previous to the adjournment of that Con- 

 vention, feeling the necessity of continued and 

 united action, a resolution was passed unani- 

 mously, " that a North American Pomological 

 Convention for the year 1849 should be held on 

 the day succeeding the close of the Annual 

 Fair of the N. Y. State Ag. Society, at what- 

 ever place the Fair should be held ;" and such 

 place was designated because it was generally 

 understood that the Fair would be held some- 

 where in the vicinity of this city, and at a season 

 of the year when most of the larger fruits are 

 fit for examination. Cincinnati, Philadelphia 

 and Baltimore were suggested, but the Conven- 

 tion unanimously agreed on the above place, 

 and also authorized the Secretary of the N. Y. 

 State Ag. Society to invite Florticultural and 

 Agricultural Societies on this Continent to send 

 delegates to it. He would, therefore, offer tlie 

 following resolution : 



Resolved, That the President of the Convention desig- 

 nate a Committee of one from each State and Territory 

 represented here, whose duty it shall be to report, previous 

 to the adjournment this morning, what action, if any, it is 

 proper to take in regard to holding future pomolological 

 conventions. 



A. J. Downing, Esq., moved as an amend- 

 ment, that the same committee nominate a Stand- 

 ing Fruit Committee, to be composed of not 

 more than five of the most skilful pomologists or 

 fruit growers in each State ; whose duty it shall 

 be, to collect all the information in their power 

 on the fruits within their respective districts, and 

 report the same at the next session of tlie 

 Convention. 



The resolution and amendment were adopted, 

 and the chair appointed the following gentlemen 

 such committee : 



Herman Wendell, N. Y. ; S. Walker, Mass. ; George 

 Gabriel, Conn. , Russel Matlison, Vermont ; A. TMcIntosh, 

 Ohio ; Dr. W. D. Brinkle, Pcnn. ; Vardly Taylor, Virginia ; 

 L. C. Eaton, R. L; TIk^s. Allen, Missouri; H. VV. S. 

 Cleveland, N. J. ; L. Young, of Kentucky ; and A. J. 

 Downing, N. Y. 



While this committee was in session the Con- 

 vention proceeded with the discussion of fruits. 

 Dr. Wendell presented the following report from 

 the committee on future Conventions: 



Resolved, That this Convention be designated the .\meri- 

 can Congress of Fruit Growers, and that the uiembers or 

 substitutes and oflicers thereof be regarded as holding their 

 respective appointments for two sessions. 



Resolved, That all Pomological, Horticultural and Agri- 



