1 68 Notes and Gleajiings. 



The American Pomological Society. — This society, after a protracted 

 and tediously laborious session of two days and evenings at the Astor House, 

 adjourned late on Thursday evening ; having completed the task of revising the 

 extensive catalogue of American apples, pears, peaches, and other fruits. There 

 was a full attendance of members, made up of the most distinguished pomolo- 

 gists of the United States. Among the number we noticed P. Barry, Charles 

 Downing, George Ellwanger, Prof. Thurber, Samuel Parsons, and Robert Par- 

 sons, of New York ; A. S. Fuller, Dr. Trimble, William Parry, and P. T. Quinn, 

 of New Jersey ; F. Hoopes, Thomas Meehan, J. E. Mitchell, and J. Knox, of 

 Connecticut ; F. R. Elliott, W. Fritz, and S. E. Todd, of Ohio ; W. Saunders 

 and John Saul of District of Columbia ; Hon. M. P. Wilder, C. M. Hovey, 

 Robert Manning, and J. F. C. Hyde, of Massachusetts. 



It is a rare occurrence that such a body of intelligent gentlemen, both practi- 

 cally and theoretically, convene for the transaction of professional business, 

 where their deliberations are characterized by more harmony and genial feeling 

 than appeared at the sessions of this association. 



Hon. Marshal] P. Wilder of Boston, Mass., who opened the session with an 

 appropriate address, setting forth the importance of the meeting, and who pre- 

 sided with cheerful dignity, still retains his position as president, with Mr. F. R. 

 Elliott of Cleveland, O., as secretary. The readiness with which the representa- 

 tives from the different States engaged in the proposed task before them, and 

 the commendable ability and practical intelligence which were brought into 

 requisition on the occasion, afforded a most satisfactory assurance that these 

 gentlemen, who came so far, at no small expense pecuniarily, and were willing 

 to appropriate two days and two long evenings to the accomplishment of so irk- 

 some a task, are prompted to the performance of a great national benefaction 

 by something more than mercenary considerations. 



During their deliberations, the committees and every member from various 

 States were provided with catalogues of fruit. Each variety was considered 

 separately, and inquiries were raised as to the failures or satisfactory success 

 with which that variety has been cultivated in every locality. Then the sugges- 

 tions offered both for and against a given variety were carefully considered ; 

 and, if the fruit seemed to have been cultivated with satisfactory success, the 

 name was retained in the catalogue : on the contrary, if the evidence appeared 

 to be so much against a given variety as not to be likely to warrant its cultiva- 

 tion, the fact was properly indicated in tlie catalogue. An untold amount of 

 practical experience and intelligence was manifested during the deliberations of 

 this respected body of American pomologists. The Old World, with all her 

 wisdom in pomological science, cannot boast of more practical ability among 

 her fruit-growers than is manitest among the plain and unassuming members of 

 this association. 



Their table was spread with various specimens of fine fruit during their ses- 

 sions ; and their deliberations in reviewing and revising the catalogue are to be 

 submitted to the consideration of the convention of the association in Septem- 

 ber next, at their meeting in Philadelphia. 



The president, before adjournment, in a few appropriate remarks, congratu- 



