326 Western Orchards. 



into the Ohio Purchase from Connecticut by the Marietta settlers, most 

 have fiiUen into disrepute, and have long since disappeared from the 

 nursery-lists, while very few remain in cultivation. 



In closing this hasty sketch of the condition of Western orchards, we 

 are forced to the conclusion, that the West has a work of its own to per- 

 form. All intelligent pomologists willingly acknowledge a heavy indebted- 

 ness to their Eastern friends and brethren, and freely accord to them the 

 meed of praise, and of thanks for their valuable contributions of informa- 

 tion ; but, in the West, there are many important problems which must be 

 solved by her own sons upon her own soils. Though we have ever been 

 accustomed to look hopefully to the East for bright rays to illumine our 

 pathway, and to aid us in solving the difficulties and in removing the ob- 

 structions that beset us, we can here expect but little assistance from that 

 quarter. We must experiment, observe, and study, and endeavor to sur- 

 mount these obstacles, for ourselves. 



We are happy in feeling that many of these difficulties have already 

 been nearly overcome. The introduction of shelter-belts of deciduous 

 and evergreen forest-trees, of hedges, the closer planting of orchards, the 

 low-headed trees, the use of root-pruning, and well-selected fruit-lists 

 adapted to the several localities, and of hardy and productive varieties, 

 have enabled us to demonstrate what was formerly believed to be an im- 

 possibility, — the production of fruitful orchards on the prairies, now known 

 to be afi accomplished fact. 



Our Eastern friends must not hastily conclude from these remarks that 

 we are willing to sunder our relations with them. No : the approaching 

 meeting of the American Pomological Society in St. Louis has been 

 hailed with universal joy by almost ever}' horticultural association in the 

 West, and a larger attendance is anticipated than has ever been seen at 

 the assembling of that body. A feeling approaching to veneration is en- 

 tertained for the veteran leader of that society, and his worthy coadjutors 

 in the Eastern States, many of whom we hope to see among us in Septem- 

 ber. . To their words of wisdom we shall lend attentive ears. 



^ohn A. Warder. 



Cleves, O. 



