October, 1890. 
181 
/ ORCHARD / und'C GARDEN \ 
^Cacti and bedding plants. One of the curi- 
osities that met my eye was an egg plant 
bearing tomatoes, the plant being a perfect 
egg plant, with the stem and leaves covered 
with thorns. The display of apples was 
not large, nor were they perfect in shape, 
but fortunate is the man in “Jersey” if he 
has anything which he can call apples this 
year. Of pears more can be said, for there 
were some very fine specimens of Seckel, 
Clairgeau, Sheldon, Bose, Duchess, and 
Bartlett. Keiffer was conspicuous by its 
absence ; the Bose, Seckel, and Clairgeau 
were extra fine. There was a small display 
of peaches, some nine plates in all, and all 
very fine ; some seedling peaches of the 
Crawford type were large and well colored. 
Of grapes there was a large and varied col- 
lection, the single exhibits and collec- 
tions were all good. Mr. E. Williams’ ex- 
hibit of grapes attracted much attention, 
"* his plates being well filled with fine clus- 
ters ; he also displayed a box of twenty 
clusters of Niagara that made more than 
one mouth water to sample them, although 
Mr W. was unconscious of all sighs and 
“Ohs" of the lookers-on. — C. A. B. 
Catalogues Received. 
John Lewis Childs, Floral Park, N.Y , Illustrated 
Catalogue of Bulbs, Plants, and Fruits, for Autumn of 
1890. A very complete and fully Illustrated catalogue, 
containing instructions for the culture of hardy bulbs 
for winter blooming in the house, and also for growing 
in the garden, with list of varieties and descriptions. 
Also list of winter blooming plants, hardy perennials, 
choice fruits, etc. Considerable space is given to 
specialties and novelties which are flgured and des- 
cribed The book is adorned with handsome illumin- 
ated covers, and is sent free to all who ask for it. 
B. A. Craddock Curve, Tenn. Illustrated Descriptive 
Catalogue and Price List of the Forked Deer Nurseries, 
Fruit Trees and Plants, Evergreen Trees, Roses, etc. 
A handsome and well arranged catalogue, giving a 
full list of leading varieties, copiously illustrated. It 
Is sent free to all applicants. 
J. T. Lovett Co, Little Silver, N.J., Illustrated 
Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees and Plants 
for Autumn, 1890. A handsomely printed and exceed- 
ingly well arranged catalogue, containing descriptions 
of all the leading varieties of plants and trees, consist- 
ing of Small Fruits and Grape Vines, Fruit Trees, a 
large assortment of Nut Trees, Deciduous and Ever- 
green Trees and Shrubs, Roses, Vines and Creepers, 
Hedge Plants, Hardy Herbaceous Flowering Plants, 
Horticultural Books, etc., and, in fact, all that Is 
desired in this line for the adornment of a country 
home. It is made easy of reference by a handy index, 
and contains also two beautiful colored plates. This 
handy book is mailed free to all applicants. 
Peter Henderson & Co, 35 and 37 Cortlandt Street, 
New York, Autumn Bulb Catalogue, 1890. A large 
catalogue of 65 pages, fully illustrated, the larger 
portion of which is devoted to the description of bulbs 
for cultivation in both the house and garden. There is 
also a full list of plants for greenhouse, conservatory, 
and window garden, flower and vegetable seeds, etc. 
Bound in handsome illuminated covers. 
Chas. A. McBride, Jacksonville, Fla. Descriptive 
Catalogue of The Commercial Nurseries. Fruit and 
ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Roses, etc. 
John Gardiner & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Gardiner’s 
Fall Catalogue for 1890. ‘The Flowers that Bloom In 
the Spring.” A compact little book full of interesting 
information concerning bulbs, with an introduction on 
their culture, illustrated by a series of unique and 
charming sketches. Sent free upon application. 
James Vick, seedsman, Rochester, N.Y. Vick’s 
Illustrated Catalogue of Hardy Bulbs and Plants This 
describes and illustrates bulbs and plants for autumn 
planting In the garden, for spring flowers, and for the 
house for winter blooming, with full cultural direct- 
ions, etc. Free to all applicants. 
Parker Earle. 
Parker Earle, President of the American 
Horticultural Society, is a native of the 
State of Vermont. He has, however, for 
the last third of a century or more been a 
resident of southern Illinois, where he has 
been a leader in developing the great fruit- 
growing region of which Cobden is the 
center. His first effort was with the pear, 
he having planted large orchards of this 
fruit, including all the leading varieties, on 
the hills in the vicinity of Cobden, his home. 
For a term of years he succeeded in pear 
culture — at least to the extent of developing 
the trees to the bearing age — when blight 
and other diseases attacked his orchards, 
from which he suffered largely, thus dis- 
couraging his farther efforts in this direction. 
In the mean time he was turning his atten- 
tion to the culture of small fruits, straw- 
berries being his specialty. In this new 
enterprise he succeeded, and it has grown 
into a business of immense magnitude. 
Many of his neighbors and the people of 
the surrounding regions have imbibed his 
spirit and embarked in the culture of small 
fruits and fruit gardening generally, until 
there is perhaps no locality in the interior 
of our country better known to-day than 
the region of southern Illinois for the suc- 
cessful growth of this class of fruits. Train 
loads are now shipped daily from points in 
southern Illinois to the great commercial 
centers of the West and North. There is 
perhaps no man living to whom greater 
credit should be given for this wonderful 
enterprise than to Mr Earle. After having 
fully established himself in the culture of 
fruits in a commercial way in southern 
Illinois, he began to extend southward with 
his plantations, and now has vast interests 
in Mississippi and other southern States. 
The earlier fruits are grown and shipped 
northward in their season 
But Mr. Earle is as well known as a hor- 
ticulturist as he is as a pomologist? In 
general horticulture and in the building up 
of the horticulture of our whole country, 
Mr. Earle has been a leader, first making 
himself known and felt as a prominent 
worker and intelligent member of the 
Illinois State Horticultural Society, and 
afterwards as the leading spirit in the 
organization and building up of the Amer- 
ican Horticultural Society. He was chosen 
at the organization of the latter Society in 
1880 under its original name, the Mississippi 
Valley Horticultural Society, as its first 
President, and has from term to term suc- 
cessively been re-elected, to the present 
time. At the head of this Society, now 
widely known throughout America as a 
leading organization, he has shown superior 
abilities both as an organizer and as an 
intelligent practical horticulturist. His 
addresses before this Society are perhaps 
unexcelled by those of any other man of his 
day and generation. While they are 
scholarly, they are practical in all particu- 
lars, discussing every topic with great care 
and ability. 
But the above facts concerning Mr. Earle 
are doubtless well known te your readers ; 
for his name is as familiar as household 
words to every American horticulturist. I 
will therefore speak more in detail of his 
private character. I have already referred 
to Mr. Earle’s nativity and to his early 
adventures as a pioneer fruit grower in the 
West. While I have no exact data, I will 
say that Mr. Earle is perhaps sixty years of 
age, and evidently enjoying a high literary 
education. He impresses those who meet 
him with his superior endowments. In the 
language of Dr. Ridpath, “Mr. Earle is one 
of the best of presiding officers. He is 
courteous in the last degree, a man of fine 
presence, graceful and easy in lus manners 
and speech.” To him more than to any 
other, is due the great success of his favorite 
Society, during its first decade of existence, 
and I only reiterate the oft-expressed wish 
of all its friends in saying, that I hope 
he may live long, and be continued at its 
head. Mr. Ea-rle has a southern residence 
at Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where the 
sweet odors of orange blossoms and Cape 
Jessamines regale his winter days, and where 
delicious fruits are gathered from November 
to May.— W. H. R. 
In accordance with the desire of the late 
Peter Henderson, the seed and plant depart- 
ments of his business, which during his life 
had been conducted separately, have been 
combined and incorporated by his sons, 
Alfred and Charles Hen lerson, and will be 
continued under the firm name of Peter 
Henderson & Co. 
A biographical sketch or memoir of his 
father is in course of preparation under the 
direction of Mr. Alfred Henderson. 
State Fairs and Exhibitions. 
Alabama Birmingham Nov. 4-15 
Colorado Pueblo Oct. 2-8 
Delaware Dover Sept. 29— Oct. 4 
Georgia Macon Oct. 22-30 
Illinois Peoria Seft. 29 -Oct. 3 
Louisiana Shreveport Nov. 3-8 
Missouri St. Louis Oct. 6-11 
New Jersey Onter-State). Trenton Sept. 29— Oct. 9 
NewYork (Am. Institute) New York City. Oct 1— Nov. 23 
North Carolina Raleigh Oct. 14-18 
Pennsylvania York Oct. 7-10 
South Carolina Darlington Oct. 30-Nov. 1 
Texas Dallas Oct. 18— Nov. 2 
Washington Walla Walla Oct. 6-12 
