1060 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



AMERICAN HYBRID CONFERENCE. 



The International Plant-Breeding Conference which took place at New 

 York in the autumn of 1902 was a remarkable success. It will be 

 remembered that the first conference especially devoted to the subject of 

 plant-breeding was held in London in 1898 at the invitation of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society. Many who attended on that occasion felt 

 that the interests of plant-breeders might be greatly promoted if similar 

 conferences were periodically held in various countries, and the American 

 delegates, headed by Professor Webber, expressed the hope that the next 

 conference might assemble in the United States. 



The suggestion then made took formal shape in 1901, when the newly 

 founded Horticultural Society of New York decided to inaugurate the 

 first year of its existence by inviting those interested in practical plant- 

 breeding to assemble at New York in September 1902. 



The Conference was held under the presidency of Mr. James Wood, of 

 Mount Kisco, N.Y., and was attended by about eighty members. It is 

 well known that State-equipped research in plant-breeding has been 

 organised in the United States on a scale far exceeding anything attempted 

 in Europe, and the gathering was therefore an exceptionally interesting 

 one. Among the representatives of the State Experiment Stations were 

 men from every climate of the Union. Nebraska, Texas, Kansas, Cali- 

 fornia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota, and 

 Indiana were all represented, but naturally the majority of the members 

 were residents of the Eastern States. The Agricultural Department of 

 Washington sent a strong contingent, though Professor Webber, who is 

 perhaps the best known member of the Washington Staff, was unfor- 

 tunately prevented from attending. 



Owing to the great distance, comparatively few foreigners could be 

 present. The Royal Horticultural Society deputed Mr. W. Bateson, 

 F.R.S., V.M.H., Mr. G. Nicholson, V.M.H., and Capt. C. C. Hurst as its 

 representatives, but the last-named delegate was at the last moment 

 detained at home. Dr. Morris, C.M.G., of Barbados, and Mr. W. Fawcett, 

 of Jamaica, represented the West Indian school of plant-breeding, and 

 Dr. W. Saunders, Director of Agricultural Stations, and especially of the 

 Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, with Messrs. C. E. Saunders, 

 Hutt, Zavitz, and Macoun, of Ontario, attended on behalf of the Canadian 

 stations. 



The papers were throughout of a strictly professional character, and 

 it was evident that the audience was keenly interested in the subjects 

 discussed. To those who are accustomed to the sometimes apathetic 

 reception which such communications may receive in London, the close 

 attention of the New York meeting and the animated discussions which 

 frequently followed the papers were most stimulating. No account of 



