3i8 



LIGHT FROM THE SOCIETIES. 



phate, for example, which is insoluble in water, alkalies 

 or acids. Fruit-growers who have to use large quantities 

 of copper compounds should, for the sake of economy, 

 buy the separate ingredients and do their own mixing. 

 Persons who have occasion to use only small amounts 

 of spraying mixtures may find it advantageous to pur- 

 chase prepared compounds ready for use, if they can be 

 sure that the preparation is reliable in strength and not 

 extravagantly high in price. — Prof. T. ']'. Van Slykc, 

 Western Xezv York Ilorlicidtuyetl Society. 



Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.— The annual 

 spring exhibition wasopenedin Horticultural Hall, Phila- 

 delphia, March 29. This, the oldest horticultural society 

 in America, seemed to have made great strides in advance 

 of its previous exhibitions. The arrangements were 

 complete, and when the doors were thrown open the sight 

 was indeed delightful. From the entrance to the last 

 niche the decorations were pleasing. The main stairway 

 leading to the grand saloon through a bower made of 

 wild smilax, laurel, etc., was festooned with wreathings. 

 On either side of this entrance into the general exhibit 

 daffodils made a pretty edging, their bright yellow show- 

 ing to good effect. Under the balconies a beautiful hedge 

 was formed, which extended around the entire room. 

 This feature, which met the applause of the visitors, was 

 an innovation, the idea never having been carried out 

 before at any of the exhibitions. The various classes of 

 flowers were well filled with competitive exhibits, which 

 naturally made the show one of rare beauty. The many 

 rare and beautiful contributions from private conser- 

 vatories, as well as from commercial establishments, in- 

 sured a display of unusual excellence. In the main 

 saloon, which was devoted to plants alone, were seen 

 palms, ferns, crotons, pandanus, azaleas, etc., growing to 

 perfection, each and every one being a specimen of its 

 class. The beautiful exhibits from the conservatories of 

 Miss M. L. Baldwin, George W. Childs, A. J. Drexel, 

 Charles Dissel, Mrs. Harry Ingersoll, W. P. Henzseyand 

 many others, were of unusual excellence. The foyer 

 was set apart for the orchid and cut-flower exhibits. This 

 section of the exhibition was a show of itself well 

 worthy of special notice, the orchids alone taking up 

 double the space ever used at any of the previous 

 exhibitions. The many forms and rare coloring of this 

 family of plants compel all to stop and pay respects. The 

 space allotted to the several orchid exhibits was the scene 

 of a reception or levee, every one stopping to drink in 

 the beautiful sight. These rare gems were not from local 

 private and commercial establishments alone, but traveled 

 by railway for miles to add to the attractiveness of the 

 Pennsylvania Society's spring opening. The exhibits 

 from the orchid-houses of Pitcher & Manda, Short Hills, 

 N. J., and Siebrecht & Wadley, New Rochelle, N. Y,, 

 were especially elaborate and fine, notwithstanding 

 the long distance traveled. Among local growers Ed- 

 win Lonsdale made a large and handsome display of 

 orchid-plants Their abundant bloom and perfect health 

 added materially to the attractiveness of this department. 

 The collection of cut roses was unusually attractive. 



The flowers were shown on long stems in neat vases, 

 nearly all of the leading sorts being exhibited. The new 

 rose "Bridesmaid," never before on exhibition in this 

 city, was shown by J. N. May and Frank L. Moore. 

 The exhibition was well attended, and the managers 

 state that financially and in every other respect this was 

 by far the most successful spring exhibition ever held by 

 the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. — D. D. L. F. 



Maine Pomologists. — The winter meeting and fruit- 

 exhibit of the Maine State Pomological Society was held 

 in Cornish, February 17 and 18. Secretary B. W. McKeen 

 of the State Board of Agriculture, urged that more at- 

 tention be given pomology in this state, where soil and 

 climate are specially adapted to fruit-culture. "As we 

 study the mysteries of our art and become more pro- 

 ficient in it, we necessarily become better men and women, 

 capable of higher achievements." 



President Charles S. Pope took a retrospective view 

 of the progress of fruit-growing in Maine. The most 

 marked development has been in small fruit, especially 

 the strawberry. Plum-culture, once abandoned because 

 of black-knot, gives promise of again becoming an im- 

 portant industry. The aim of the society should be to 

 induce farmers to take better care of trees already planted 

 rather than greatly to extend the number. 



J. W. Tree, in his paper, ' ' Our Labors and our Rewards 

 in Fruit-Culture," urged greater care in setting an 

 orchard. In his experience it had been necessary to do 

 some blasting of rocks in order to bring the trees into 

 rows. 



Secretary D. H. Knowlton traced the development of 

 fruit exhibitions. The ideas of traffic, recreation, com- 

 petition and instruction should be made prominent. In 

 too many instances recreation is the leading object. A 

 collective exhibit is of value as furnishing opportunities 

 to study varieties from different localities. In competi- 

 tive exhibitions, representative varieties should be 

 selected, and the intrinsic merit of any variety should go 

 far toward determining the award. It is advisable to have 

 a separate table for the exhibition of varieties not in 

 competition. The number of varieties in competitive 

 exhibits should be limited ; wrong impressions are given 

 by the exhibition of varieties which barely live but do 

 not thrive in a given locality. 



S. H. Dawes concludes that dwarf pears are more 

 profitable than standards. As to varieties, Bartlett is his 

 best summer variety, and he plants one-fourth of his 

 orchard in this sort. Louise Bonne has been found the 

 most satisfactory autumn variety ; its worst fault is a 

 tendency to overbear. Duchess is next in importance, 

 but is not always satisfactory. The most serious obstacle 

 to pear-culture is the blight. A treatment apparently 

 successful as a preventive of this disease is to "split the 

 bark in spring, just as the buds are swelling, and apply 

 with a force-pump or brush a thin whitewash to which 

 sulphur has been added in the proportion of i pound to 

 5 gallons." 



Professor W. M. Munson uses for codling-moth a mix- 

 ture of I pound of Paris green to 250 gallons of water ; 



