106 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
April, 1919 
prove methods of cultivation, 
thereby to secure better results in 
producing food. Unquestionably 
the Americans who have been 
abroad have learned a good many 
useful and valuable things — infor- 
mation that will be of lasting ad- 
vantage to them and to the rest 
of the American people. It has 
been a school of liberal education 
for American soldiers and other 
workers, and the entire nation will 
profit from this experience.” 
Effect on Lime-Sulphur of 
Freezing. 
A member asks how freezing 
affects lime sulphur. The question 
was referred to Prof. Geo. F. Pot- 
ter who answers as follows : 
Freezing appears to have a 
variable effect upon lime sulphur. 
I have frozen two samples of the 
same lime sulphur in the same 
freezing chamber at the same time, 
with the result that one sample 
would be utterly spoiled, while the 
other one was entirely uninjured. 
When the lime sulphur is spoiled 
by freezing, the sulphur which is 
in solution is precipitated out and 
falls to the bottom of the container 
in a finely divided form. The so- 
lution loses its rich dark color 
which is due to sulphur in solution. 
The injury is detected by the 
change in color in the solution and 
the presence of sulphur particles 
in the bottom of the container. 
If a part of the sulphur is pre- 
cipitated out, the solution is weak- 
ened. It would not harm the 
trees but might fail to do its work 
properly. 
Considerable apprehension has 
been shown by Horticulturists and 
in Horticultural literature con- 
cerning the use of lime sulphur 
which has been frozen but in 
which precipitation which T just 
mentioned, did not occur. I be- 
lieve that there are no grounds 
whatever for this apprehension, 
because freezing cannot change 
the sulphur into any form which 
would be more injurious to the 
plant than the form in which it 
is originally dissolved. 
THE AMERICAN POMOLOGI- 
CAL SOCIETY 
A Call for Recruits. 
“Its object shall be the ad- 
vancement of the science of pom- 
ology,” is the declaration of the 
Constitution. It shall exist “for 
the purpose of promoting and en- 
couraging the culture of fruit,” 
states the Act of Incorporation 
under the laws of the Common- 
wealth of Massachusetts. In the 
call issued by Marshall P. Wilder 
nearly three-quarters of a century 
ago, delegates were requested from 
“all agricultural, horticultural, 
pomological and kindred societies 
in the United States and the Can- 
adas,” and the object of the Asso- 
ciation was declared to be “to pro- 
mote pomology and the sciences 
upon which it depends;” and dele- 
gates were requested “to bring 
with them specimens of the fruits 
of their respective district.” The 
last retiring president, Professor 
Hutt, in 11)1 7, declared that the 
Society “is the clearing house for 
advanced pomological ideas, and 
the supreme court on varieties, 
nomenclature and pomological 
ethics. ’ ’ 
These statements are broad 
enough to cover a continent, free 
enough for a democracy, interest- 
ing enough for every lover of 
fruits. Note that the word fruit 
is not defined ; so is the society 
flexible, and able to adapt itself 
to the needs of each generation. 
A long and honorable history is 
one of the safeguards of the So- 
ciety. It was organized in 1848, 
seventy years ago. It has had a 
continuous history. No other 
similar society is so old. Its mem- 
bership has carried many honor- 
able names from the first. Its re- 
ports are important practical 
guides and indispensable historical 
records. Its word has always been 
authority. The Society has a 
proud record. 
At first the purpose of the So- 
ciety was distinct and clear. Re- 
cently its place or mission has been 
obscure ; so many subjects and in- 
terests have needed attention that 
its energies were in danger of be- 
coming diluted and confused. 
Now, however, its field is clear 
again because other societies have 
been organized to cover certain in- 
dustries. The recently established 
Congress of Horticulture will take 
care of the commercial and legis- 
lative phases. The Society for 
Horticultural Science represents 
what may be called the profes- 
sional aspects, those specially in- 
teresting to science men in the 
government and the institutions. 
The American Pomological Society 
may now return to its original 
simple function to promote and en- 
courage the production of fruit. 
It Speakes to the Lover of 
Fruits. 
To the real amateur, to the lover 
of fruits, the American Pomologi- 
cal Society makes its appeal. To 
thousands of persons in all parts 
of the United States and Canada, 
in country and city and suburb, 
the Society comes with help and 
encouragement, — to the one who 
has but a small patch of berries, 
a little vineyard, a few trees of 
pleasant fruits or nuts, a little 
grove of oranges, specimen trees 
of persimmons or avocados, or of 
plants transferred experimentally 
from the wild. To the naturalist 
who searches for fruits in wood 
and fields the Society also offers 
itself, and to investigators any- 
where who bear enthusiasms for 
their work with fruits. 
Equally does the Society wel- 
come the commercial grower, 
however large his plantations; it 
will appeal to him primarily in 
his amateur or fruit-loving inter- 
ests. Many of the enthusiastic 
amateurs are also large and force- 
ful growers for profit. 
