STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 5| 



cause deca}' of the fruit. "While New Mexico is reported as free 

 from iusect depredations or diseases affecting the fruit interest, 

 jet the ^larch and April frosts are noted as an obstacle to fruit- 

 culture. 



^Many interesting and highly instructive suggestions are noticed in, 

 the various reports of transactions and discussions of other Horti- 

 cultural societies. The veteran poraologist, William C. Strong of" 

 Brighton. Mass., in an address delivered before the State Horticul- 

 tural Society, laments the " sore evil" which has afflicted every sec- 

 tion of the land in the matter of numerous varieties of inferior fi'uits.. 

 He feelingly exclaims: "What immense injury has beeu done to, 

 pear-culture, for example, b^' the dissemination of second, third 

 and fourth rate kinds which come to be onlj" a vexation and a nuisance • 

 to the producer !" He makes a noteworthy confession in the declara- 

 tion that •' the nurserymen are answerable for this state of things." 

 He furthermore condemns emphaticall3', the practice of "offering 

 prizes for long lists of kinds ;" and sa3"S to the society, " now let us, 

 publish the simple truth, that there are but few kinds worthy of 

 genei-al culture." In this expression of disapprobation of multiply- 

 ing inferior kinds of fruits, the speaker was joined by Hon. Mar- 

 , shall P. Wilder, who said that in testing new varieties of fruits for 

 many years past, he had expended twenty or thirty thousand dollars. 

 Mr Wilder said, — referring to apples for exporting: " of all the 

 apples exported from Boston, ninety per cHMit. are Baldwins " 



The wide range of topics which are legitimate subjects of discussion, 

 and pioperly within the sphere of labor belonging to horticultural 

 societies is worth}' of the attention of this society. We find kindred 

 organizations in other States working vigorousl}" to promote other 

 interests than those belonging merely to fruit growing. For instance, 

 the subject of arboriculture — the planting of trees in forests or 

 groves, or for the adornment of lawns, parks, streets and common 

 highways, forms a prominent theme for discussion and treatment 

 by original essays in several societies which are the largest and most 

 influential on the continent. 



The rapid destruction of our native forests and the increasing 

 demand for timber and fuel in our country is a cause for much alarm 

 to the industrial economist, and nowhere is the subject receiving 

 more earnest attention than in the Dominion of Canada. The 

 Government, seconded b}' the efforts of influential local societies, 

 and by the arguments of some of the most intelligent citizens, is 



