136 



THE POMOLOGIST. 



October 





fl^o»t 



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The Iowa Press Excursion. 



The first annual excursion of the Iowa Press 

 Association, was made the last week in July, 

 over the line of the North Missouri Railroad, 

 extending from Ottumwa, Iowa, to St. Louis, 

 and thence to Leavenworth, St. Joe, and Coun- 

 cil Bluffs. The general rendezvous of the par- 

 ty, which numbered about two hundred gentle- 

 men and ladies, was at Ottumwa, on Tuesday 

 the 26th. The excursion was made in accor- 

 dance with an invitation from the above named 

 railway company to take a free ride over their 

 line and to celebrate its completion from Ottum- 

 wa, to St. Louis— an event of no ordinary im- 

 portance to Central and Northwestern Iowa,— 

 giving this part of our .State direct communi- 

 cation by rail with St. Louis— the great com- 

 mercial emporium of the upper Mississippi. 

 On Tuesday morning, at an early hour, in com- 

 pany with quite a large number of the excur. 

 sisonists, we were on the way to Ottumwa. — 

 The morning was fine- clear with a fresh, cool 

 breeze, and leaving the dusty streets of Des 

 Moines, we were soon gliding over the magni- 

 ficent prairie and cultivated farms which spread 

 far away on either hand. The country down 

 the valley of the Des Moines never shone more 

 beautiful. The small grains were cut and in 

 the shock, while the vast fields of waving 

 corn on all sides was boundless to the eye.— 

 About 11 a. m. the train reached Ottumwa, 

 where the excursionists were cordially welcom- 

 ed as guests of the city, and all conveyed to the 

 places assigned them in carriages. In the 

 evening a formal reception took place. Mayor 

 Littleton in a few appropriate words welcomed 

 the excursionists to the city, in reply to which 

 John P. Irisii, in behalf of the association, re- 

 sponded in a few brief, and happy remarks — 

 These ceremonies concluded, the guests were 

 Invited to partake of a feast of good things. 



On Wednesday morning the party left Ot- 

 tumwa by special train, on the North Missouri 

 Railroad and ^arrived at Macon, about 1 p.m. 

 where a sumptous dinner had been prepared 

 and in waiting for the excursionists at the in- 

 stance of the officers of the railroad company. 

 Dinner over, we were again under way— reach- 

 ing St. Charles."about 8 o'clock in the evening. 

 Here the train was met by a Committee of Re- 

 ception from St. Louis, and on the way into the 

 city each guest had his place assigned before 

 leaving the cars. Arriving there about 11 

 o'clock, carriages were in waiting to convey all 

 to their several stopping places. 



Too much cannot be said in eoramendation of 

 the preparations and arrangements on the 

 part of the North Missouri Railroad Company, 

 in conjunction with citizens of St. Louis, for 

 the comfort and enjoyment of the' excursion- 

 ists ;— the assigning of their guests before their 

 arrival, to the first class hotels in the city, and 

 the admirable facilities for the speedy convey- 

 ing of every member of so large a party to their 

 respective hotels. And then the cordiality of 

 the reception and the entertainment duiing 

 our stay in the city ! Had we been on a visit 

 to kindred friends after long years of separa- 

 tion, a welcome more cordial could not have 

 been extended. 



Thursday forenoon the party enjoyed a 

 steamboat excursion down the river to the 

 St. Louis Iron Works, where a novel sight was 



witnessed in a stream of liquid iron flowing 

 out from an immense furnace in its channels 

 of sand, and distributing itself into the mounds 

 prepared to receive it. The heat was intense 

 and the visitors soon beat a hasty retreat to the 

 boat, and were soon afloat and steaming up 

 the river. On the return trip, ice cream, wine, 

 lemonade, cakes and otlier refreshments were 

 served out to the company in unstinted mea- 

 sure. 



After dinner carriages were provided for an 

 excursion through the city, via La Fayette Park 

 to Shaw's Garden and the Fair Grounds. The 

 Park is a beautiful place, but Shaw's Garden, 

 otherwise called Tower Hill, is paradistical. It 

 would be slieer idleness to attempt any ade- 

 quate description of the beauty and attractions 

 centered within the area of this beautiful spot. 

 It is one expansive field of the rarest fruits, 

 plants, trees and flowers that could be collected 

 from all quarters of the globe. The grounds 

 are intersected with walks in every direction, 

 and every where bordered with flowers, minia- 

 ture trees, and ornamental shrubbery. Every 

 thing is arrnnged with the most artistic taste 

 and skill. These grounds are private property, 

 and in their improvement have cost the owner, 

 Henry .Shaw, one of the millionaires of St. 

 Louis, immense sums oif money. Mr. Shaw 

 was at home and received his guests with the 

 greatest cordiality and hospitality. 



The next point made in the programme of 

 the day was the Fair Grounds of the .St, Louis 

 Agricultural and Mechanical Association. The 

 improvements upon these grounds are unques- 

 tionabij^ the most expensive and complete of 

 any fair grounds in tliis country. The amphi- 

 theatre is a prominent object. It is about 500 

 feet in diameter, and is computed to seat 

 75,000 people. A gigantic flag-staff was lying 

 upon the ground nearly completed, to stand 

 in the centre of tlie arena. After an hour or 

 two spent in looking over the grounds, and in 

 partaking of refreshments spread upon long 

 tables in the spacious hall of the mechanical 

 department, the excursionists returned to the 

 city— delighted with the day's wanderings and 

 the friendly and cordial attentions everywhere 

 shown them by the citizens. 



Friday afternoon the party left St. Louis on a 

 special train proviiled by the North Missouri 

 Railroad Company, and reached Leavenworth 

 Saturday morning, where a most cordial wel- 

 come was extended from tbe citizens, and by 

 whom the excursionists were most generously 

 entertained during their stay. We had scarce- 

 ly shaken the dust from our garments when 

 Dr. J. Stayman, by some hncus jmcus (tor we had 

 not before made his personal acquaintance) 

 recognized us in the crowd, and at once escort- 

 ed us to his pleasant home a little outside the 

 citv limits. Here we had the pleasure of ma- 

 kiugtheacquaintauceof Mr. Wm Tanner, Presi- 

 dent of the Kansas State Horticultural Society, 

 and his lady. After a pleasant chat with these 

 gentlemen and their ladies around the social 

 board of our host, Mr. Tanner took us into his 

 carriage and made the circuit of the city— visit- 

 ing Fort Leavenworth and other points of inter- 

 est. On the trip about the city, we noticed many 

 very fine and substantial residences and public 

 buildings; but more pleasing to us was the 

 manifest good sense of property owners in the 

 ornamentation of their grounds witli shrubbery, 

 plants and flowers. For we hold that whatev- 

 er enlarges the sphere of rational enjoyment, is 

 always useful in social life, though it may not 

 be absolutely necessary to mere animal exist- 

 ence. We were very agreeably disappointed in 

 the locality and appearance of Leavenworth. A 

 finer situation for a city is nowhere to be found 

 In the West. The city is built high up from the 



river on rolling ground, with a semi-circle of 

 forest-clad hills two or three miles distant, and 

 presentinga most charming back-ground and 

 landscape. 



During our stay at Leaven'worth we were the 

 guest of Dr. J. Stayman, Mr. Wm. Tanner and 

 Dr. Wm. M. Howsley — all ardent horticulturists 

 and live, practical men. In company with such 

 a trio ot genial spirits, it may well be supposed 

 that the few hours we spent at Leavenworth 

 were extremly enjoyable. And to these gentle- 

 men and their excellent ladies, who so gener- 

 ously entertained us, and made our first visit to 

 their city so pleasant, we extend most hearty 

 thanks. 



On Sunday evening the party took leave of 

 Leavenworth and reached Council Bluff's on 

 Monday evening. Here, as elsewhere, the ex- 

 cursionists enjoyed the hospitality of tlie citi- 

 zens for the day, when the first annual excur- 

 sion of the Iowa Press Association came to an 

 end and each member went their way. The 

 trip all through, could not have been made 

 more enjoyable — it was one continued ovation. 

 We must defer to anotlier time, mention of 

 what come under our observation Uorticultu- 

 rally on the trip, for what we have already said 

 encroaclies upon space allotted to other matters. 



Ackno'wledgment of Fruits. 



Our thanks are due to several friends who 

 have of late favored us with specimens of 

 fruit. 



Mr. James Smith hands us several varieties 

 of tile apple, among which are very fine speci- 

 mens of Fall Orange. Bally Sweet, Scarlet 

 Pearmain, Tallman and Pound Sweets. All 

 these are doing well with Mrs. S — every tree 

 of Tallman full of fruit this season; Fall Or- 

 ange, the finest specimens we have ever seen. 



Mr. ,Tohn Smith showed us through his or- 

 chard a few days ago, and we were glad to see 

 many of his trees in fruit, and fast recovering 

 from the canker worm raid made upon it 

 two or three years ago. He regards the Jona- 

 than and Raules' Jauuette the two most profit- 

 able market sorts. 



Mr. D. B. Clark, Council Bluffs, brought to 

 us at the time of the Soldiers' Reunion, quite a 

 collection of apples— mostly seedlings, some of 

 which we find quite equal to many of the im- 

 proved sorts for culinary purposes — being large 

 and well flavored. In the collection were 

 some very flue specimens of the Northern Spy. 

 Of tills variety Mr.C said he picked specimens 

 from his trees last season that weighed a pound 



or more each. 



*-•-• 



The Westekn Gardener.— We acknowledge 

 the receipt of the first number of this new 

 Monthly published at Leavenworth, Kansas; 

 Dr. W. M. Howsley and J. T. Lock wood, 

 editors. The Gardener is In pamphlet form, 3'2 

 pages, $1 50 per annum, and devoted to Horti- 

 culture, Arboriculture, and Rural Affairs; is 

 ably edited, and its typographical appearance 

 very neat. The gentlemen in cliarge of this 



enterprise are well qualified to make a valuable 

 paper. 



•-♦-• 



ANEW Grape. -Mr. J. C. Neff, of Duncan's 

 Falls, Ohio, sends us specimen clusters of 

 what he calls " Black Hamburg," or " Rhine 

 Grape." Mr. N. Writes : " the original vine was 

 obtained from tlie Rhinish Districts of Ger- 

 many seven years ago, by Judge Hana, of 

 Sleclianicsville, Ohio. Vine a rampant grower, 

 very productive, both fruit and vine unaffected 

 by rot, mildew, or any otlier disease, and out- 

 sells any other variety in the market," 



We are sorry to say the fruit reached us 

 in such a demoralized condition that it looked 

 like any thing but grapes. A paste-board box 

 should never be used for the conveyance of 

 such fruit through the mails. 



