THE POMOLOGIST. 



Jan. 



For the Western Pomologist. 



An Important Step. 

 Mark Miller, Esq. -.—Dear Sir : Nothing 

 has given a more beautiful cIoho to the old 

 year, or a more gratifying dawn to the new 

 year, tlian the information received recently 

 that you had determined to begin the publi- 

 cation of a strictly Western and Middle States 

 Horticultural Monthly. It is a step in the 

 right direction. We of tlie West and Middle 

 States liave long felt the need of such a jour- 

 nal as j'ou propose to give us — a cheap, 

 thonniyhly practical, reliable, Uorticultural 

 paper, adapted to the soil, climate, necessi- 

 ties and characteristics of our people. Such 

 a paper cannot be successfully conducted by 

 otlier than a man wlio fidly understatids our 

 wants ; and who, by long years of practical 

 experience, knows be-st what is required to 

 please the people, and to insure us that suc- 

 cess, iu all that pertains to our rural life, 

 which we can hope to attain. In you, we 

 believe, are blended that practical experi- 

 ence, common sense, and energy, which alone 

 will triumph over all obstacles, and enable 

 you, by our individual aid, to establish upon 

 an enduring basis, a lirst class paper of the 

 kind above alluded to. We cordially endorse 

 many of our American Rural publications 

 which emanate from the North and the 

 South ; but still we must confess that they do 

 not supply us with that information suited to 

 our soil and climate and people. To the 

 people of their respective sections, they give 

 all that is required, but our climate, soil and 

 manners are as diflerent from theirs as the 

 soil, climate, and manners of one continent 

 from another. Wotild a Southern planter 

 seek information as to the culture of cotton 

 and sugar and rice, from a farmer in the 

 North ? or, would a Northern farmer attempt 

 to grow those staples in his own climate ? 

 Surely not. Would a farmer on the deep, 

 rich prairies of the West, incur the expense 

 and trouble of buying and spreading any of 

 the Northman's " commercial manures," such 

 as Rawboue, Phosphates, etc. ? burely not. 

 Would a Western Horticulturist, or one liv- 

 ing in auy of the Middle States, plant an 

 orchard, or a vineyard, or a small fruit gar- 

 den, of like varieties adajjted to the Northern 

 or the Southern States, and would his mode 

 of cultivation to insure success correspond 

 with the mode found best adapted to those 

 sections of our country? Every sensible 

 man will answer, certainly not. Then, if 

 not, what is the rational inference ? Simi)ly 

 this ; We must look for correct knowledge on 

 these and kindred topics, froin Iwms sources. 

 The great importance of fruit and fruit tfee 

 culture is being more and more felt every 

 year, Our orchard and garden area is 

 widening year by year, Our Stales and 

 Territories are becoming more densely peo- 

 pled, and in common with all other kinds of 

 industry and thrift, we, who are bound to 

 eartlt by the beauties of all that tend to ad- 

 vance the best interests of rural life — its 

 orchards and gardens and vineyards— must 



bestir ourselves, and go onward to a full de- 

 velopment of all the hidden and revealed 

 charms and riches of Horticulture. Then, 

 men of tlie Western and Middle States, let 

 us, by "pen and purse," put our shoulders to 

 the wheel of the car that bears the " West- 

 ern PoMOLOGiST," and aid Mr. Miller in his 

 laudable undertaking. H. T. H. 



Stanford, Kentucky, Jan. 1st, 1870. 



For the Western Pomologist, 



Kansas State Horticttltural Society. 



Some time during the winter of 1866, an 

 article appeared iu tlie Kansas Farmer un- 

 der the head of Kansas Pomology, setting 

 forth a plan of organizing a Society by cor- 

 respondence. The Rev. John S. Brown, 

 then editor of the Farmer, not only gave the 

 use of his pajjer, but volunteered to act as 

 Secretary. The efl'ort proved successful, and 

 a prompt response was made by about 

 twenty names. The Secretary then called 

 an election of officers ; received the ballots 

 through the mail, and announced the result 

 iu the following April number. 



The officers elected, performed their duties 

 promptly, and while a lively correspondence 

 was kept up through the mail and papers, a 

 desire soon manifested itself to meet and ex- 

 change personal views. The desire was soon 

 gratified by the announcement of a meeting 

 to be held at the city of Lawrence the fol- 

 lowing winter. 



They met, and many for the first time 

 beheld the faces of brother pomologists with 

 whom they had become familiar through 

 friendly chats on paper. 



From this beginning there was no retro- 

 grade, but a steady and healthy growth. The 

 press of the State took tip the cause and as- 

 sisted it all in their power. 



At the annual meeting of 1868, the subject 

 of attending the American Pomological Con- 

 vention at Philadelphia, was discussed. The 

 great distance and an empty treasury seemed 

 to preclude the possibility. However, it 

 was decided to appoint a committee, and 

 trust to luck. One of the first acts of the 

 committee was to ask the Legislature for an 

 appropriation of five hundred dollars for the 

 purpose of collecting and forwarding fruit 

 to Philadelphia. 



The amount was cheerfully granted, the 

 fruit was carefully selected and safely trans- 

 ported, and so impressed were the officers of 

 the Pennsylvania Horticultual Society with 

 the beauty and excellence of the display, 

 that they aAvarded the gold medal to Kansas. 



The Kaasas Horticultural Society held its 

 third annual meeting at Ottawa, Franklin 

 county, on the 14th, 15tli and 16th of Dec, 

 1869, C, H, Top|5ing, of Ottawa, delivered 

 the welcoming address, and President Wm. 

 Tanner, of Leavenwojth, delivered the an- 

 nual address, from which I have gathered 

 this brief account of the Society given above. 



Among tljR proceedings the first day, Dr, 

 William M. Howsley, on behalf of the com- 

 mittee appointed to collect find exhibit fruit 



at the National Pomological Congress at 

 Philadelphia, presented the gold medal, 

 awarded the Society by the Pennsylvania 

 State Horticultural Society, with the follow- 

 ing remarks: 



Now, Sir, the last duty that devolves on 



your committee is to present to this Society 

 this medal, (waving it iu his hand and open- 

 ing both sides to the crowd,) which was 

 awarded to the State Horticultural Society. 

 Take it. Sir, and cherish it as a proud trophy 

 of our victory. Sir, when we look on this 

 rich treasure, it should make our hearts pal- 

 pitate with pride and pleasure that we are 

 citizens of Kansas. 



To which President Tanner responded as 

 follows : 

 GertHemen of tlie Committee : 



Receiving this gold medal from your hands 

 is the proudest event in the history of this 

 Society. We accept it not in a spirit of ex- 

 ultation, but witli feelings of deep gratitude 

 towards those who gave it, and a.ssure them 

 that we fully appreciate its great value, 

 well knowing tliat an example expressive of 

 so much generosity is ver}' rarely, if, indeed, 

 at all known in tlie annals of pomology. 

 From the Pennsylvania Horticultural Soci- 

 ety we accept this beautiful emblem, which 

 will be cherished in remembrance of them 

 as long as this Society lives, and to them we 

 tender our sincere thanks. 



On motion of Dr. Topping the following 

 greeting to the Illinois State Horticultural 

 Society was sent b_v telegraph : 



Ottawa, 10 o'clock A. M., Dee. 14. 



The Kansas State Horticultural Society in 

 session, sends words of greeting to the 

 Illinois State Horticultural Society at Otta- 

 wa, lUiuois. Wm. Tasner, Pres. 



During the second day a committee of 

 three was appointed to examine and decide 

 upon samples of apples present, called by 

 the different names of McAfifees, Nonsuch, 

 Loge, Strijied Peannain, Missouri, Superior, 

 Zeek, Wyandotte, Gray Apple, Wine, Starr 

 Apple, Indian Apple, &c. 



The committee were Dr. J. Warder, of 

 Ohio; Prof. S. T. Kelscy, of Ottawa, and 

 Dr. J. Stayman, of Leavenworth ; who, after 

 hearing the evidence and examining the 

 fruit, decided that they could see no differ- 

 ence, and believed them to be one and the 

 same species of apple. 



The apple list was then taken up and dis- 

 cussed at length — the habits of the differ- 

 ent kinds considered — the adaptation of each 

 to our soil and climate, and the following 

 list decided upon as those likely to be most 

 successfully cultivated : 



SUMMER APPLES. 



* Red June. * Cooper's Early 



* Early Harvest. White. 



* Red Astrichan. 



AUTUMN APPLES. 



** Maiden's Blush. * Fameuse. 



* Lowell. * Bailey's Sweet. 



* Fall Wine. 



WINTER APPLES. 



* Hay's Wine. 



* R;uile's Jannette. 



* Sti'ipedPearmain. 



* Rome Beauty. 



* Missouri Pippin. 



* Sweet Romanite. 

 -^ W, W. Pearmaiu. 



** Wine Sap. 



* Ben Davis. 



* Roman Stem. 



* Willow Twig. 



* Gilpin. 



— Kansas Keeper. 



* Smith's Cider. 



