STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 137 



Insurauct; Company more Llian a score of years and alsu held direc- 

 torship in other institntions. Strict integrity in all his transactions, 

 gentlemanly manners in all his intercourse with others and faithfnl 

 attention to every duty made him both popular and successful as a 

 business man, and no chapter in his history is more creditable to 

 him than this. 



Col. Wilder was a most successful pomologist as well as floricul- 

 turist, and after retiring from the piesidency of the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society began to work for the promotion of education 

 in the matter of fruit raising. He had done a great deal in the way 

 of improving fruit culture on his own estate, and was widely known 

 both in America and Europe as an ardent stutlent of pomology. He 

 succeeded in securing the organization of a ''National Congress of 

 Fruit Growers," but at the same period a "National Pomological 

 Convention'* was organized in New York. Of course there was no 

 necessity for two similar societies, and steps were taken for securing 

 a consolidation. This resulted in the formation of the "American 

 Pomological Congress," of which Col. Wilder became President soon 

 after the consolidation, retaining the otBce to the time of his death. 



The United States Agricultural Society was another result of Mr. 

 Wilder's labors. In 1852, as President of the Massachusetts Board 

 of Agriculture, which board was formed during the previous year, 

 he called a National Convention of Agriculturists. The convention 

 met at Washington and the Society named was organized with Mr. 

 Wilder as President. He retired from this ofHce in 1858, on which 

 a silver tea service valued at $250 was presented to him. 



Col. Wilder, in addition to his membership in the societies we have 

 named, has also been connected with similar organizations in other 

 lands, such as the Royal Horticultural Societies of Paris and of 

 Fraukfort-on-the-Main, and the Pomological Society of Van Mons 

 of Belgium, l^y which he was appointed a Commissioner for America. 

 The fact that his reputation is not bounded by his native country has 

 been shown in various ways, but in none more complimentary than 

 in the publication a few years ago of a sketch, with portrait, in the 

 Loudon Gardener's Chronicle. We quote the following from the 

 sketch : 



"•We are glad to have the opportunity of laying before our readers 

 the portrait of one of the most distinguished of transatlantic horti- 

 culturists, and one who, by his zeal, industry and determination, has 

 not only conferred lasting benefits upon his native country but has 



