50 Progress of Horticulture in Indiana. 



Art. II. Progress of Horticulture hi Indiana. 

 By the Rev. H. W. Beecher, Indianapolis, Indiana. 



I AM induced to send you some remarks upon the condition 

 of things in this State, in Horticultural matters, from observ- 

 ing your disposition to make your magazine, not merely a 

 record of specific processes, and a register of plants and fruits, 

 IMt also a chronicle of the yearly progress and condition of 

 the Horticultural art. I should be glad if I could in any de- 

 gree thus repay the pleasure which others have given me 

 through your numbers, by reciprocal efforts. 



Horticultural Society^s Pair. — This is held annually, on 

 the 4th and 5th of October. Experience has shown that it 

 should be earlier ; for, although a better assortment of late 

 fruits, in which, hitherto, we have chiefly excelled, is secur- 

 ed, it is at the expense of small fruits and flowers. The flo- 

 ral exhibition was meagre — the frost having already visited 

 and despoiled our gardens. The chief attraction, as, in an 

 agricultural community, it must long continue to be, was the 

 exhibition of fruit. My recollection of New England fruits, 

 after an absence of more than ten years, is not distinct ; but 

 my impression is, that so fine a collection of fruits could 

 scarcely be shown there. The luxuriance of the peach, the 

 plum, the pear and the apple, is such, in this region, as to 

 aftbrd the most perfect possible specimens. The vigor of fruit 

 trees, in such a soil and under a heaven so congenial, produ- 

 ces fruits which are very large without being coarse- fleshed ; 

 the flavor concentrated, and the color very high. It is the con- 

 stant remark of emigrants from the east, that our apples sur- 

 pass those to which they have been accustomed. Many 

 fruits which I remember in Connecticut as light-colored, ap- 

 pear with us almost refulgent. All summer and early fall- 

 apples were gone before our exhibition ; but between seventy 

 and a hundred varieties of winter apples were exhibited. 

 We never expect to see finer. Our most popular winter ap- 

 ples are : Yellow Bellflower ; White Bellflower; [called De- 

 troit by the gentlemen of Cincinnati Horticultural itr'ociety, — 

 but for reasons which are not satisfactory to my mind. What 

 has become of the White Bellflower of Coxc, if this is not it?] 



