SEPT 29 
646 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
society the necessity of checking the flooding 
of the country with inferior and worthless 
varieties of fruit, and recommends the adop¬ 
tion of the new code of rules which has been 
prepared by the committee appointed for that 
purpose at the last meeting. Mr. Wilder agaiu 
calls attention to the great importance of pro¬ 
ducing fruit from seeds and of the superiority 
of native over foreign sorts, and says that 
while life shall last he will continue to preach, 
“Plant the most mature and perfect seeds of 
the most hardy, vigorous and valuable varie¬ 
ties, and, as a shorter process insuring more 
certain and happy results, cross and hybridize 
our finest kinds for still greater excellence ” 
His address concludes with a few pertinent 
paragraphs ou the importance and influences 
of the society and the wonderful progress of 
fruit culture m our land. 
After the reading of the address, Mr. T. T. 
Lyon, Michigan, reported from the Committee 
on Rules, referred to above. Some changes 
being recommended, considerable discussion 
ensued, and both the old code and the new 
were finally sent back to be revised by the 
committee, who finally reported the new rules 
which were adopted by the convention at a 
later session. An essay by Dr.E. Lewis St.urte- 
vant, Director of the Mew York Experiment 
Station, ou “Some Things the Station can do 
for Horticult ire,” was then read by Secretary 
Beal in the absence of the author. Mr. Lyon, 
of Michigan, read a paper on “How can we 
best maintain a high standard of quality in 
fruits as agaiust the tendencies of commercial 
pomology"! 1 It was also received with favor. 
An unfortunate thing for these discussions 
was the bad location of the room. The meet¬ 
ings of the flirt tw r o days were held in the 
foyer of the hall or over it, which being on 
the Broad Street front, was so disturbed by 
noise that it was impossible to hear. 
The exhibition of Fruit is very large and 
Adc, especially that of pears, peaches, apples 
and plums. Grapes are not so well represent¬ 
ed by reason of the general backwardness of 
the season. In fact it may be said that very 
few really ripe grapes are shown. There are 
1,850 separate dishes of fruit ou the tables— 
1,246 of pears, 334 of apples, 42 of peaches, 17* 
of grapes, 45 of plums, 2 of nectarines, 4 of 
quinces. 
The first Wilder Silver Medal was awarded 
to Marshall P. Wilder for his collection of 
pears containing 100 varieties. The second 
medal was given to the Minnesota State Hor¬ 
ticultural Society for ite collection of apples 
and grapes. The third medal was awarded to 
E. Sattertbwaite, of Pennsylvania, for a col¬ 
lection of peaches, apples and pears. The 
fourth medal went to J. H. Ricketts, of Mew- 
burg, N.Y., for seedling grapes. 
The largest aDd finest display of fruit 
was made by E. Satterthwaite, of Jenkin- 
town, Pa. The three long tables on the right 
of the hall were completely covered with his 
magnificent exhibit. There were over 1,000 
plates in all, including 200 varieties of peais, 
30 of peaches and 12 of apples. It was the 
finest show of pears the Society had ever seen. 
Most of the fruit had been ripened in a fruit 
room, and the coloring was magnificent, espe¬ 
cially in the case of BeumS de Moutgerou, 
the specimens of wbieb were indeed beautiful. 
Those of Doyenne Boussock w’ere also hand¬ 
somely colored, although this variety never 
attains any brilliant color on the tree. Among 
the finest specimens in this collection were 
Apothecary, Beurrd Superfiu, B. Clairgeau, 
B. d’Anjou, B. Hardy, B. Bose, Howell, Shel¬ 
don, lies Nonnes, Souvenir du Congres, Kirfc- 
land, Souvenir d’Esperon Napoleon, St. An¬ 
drew, Bartlett and Capsheaf. The Bartlett, 
however, did not seem to do well in the cold 
fruit room. Among the attractive peaches 
were Golden Rareripe, Chinese Cling, Susque¬ 
hanna, Reeves’s Favorite and Oldraixon. Mr. 
Satterth waite seems to be an intelligent and 
enterprising fruit-grower on a large scale, and 
Pennsylvania can well afford to be proud of 
him. His KLieffer and Le Conte Pears were 
bard, green and not full}' grown out, as was 
the case with all others of those kinds shown. 
He sold Kieffers last October for ‘25 cents each, 
and means to try and keep them through the 
Winter this time. 
Joseph H. Bower, of Rhode Island, showed 
some fine pears, including How-ells from the 
original tree there. 
A fine collection of oriental and hybrid 
pears was shown bv William Parry, of New 
Jersey, who also exhibited several choice speci¬ 
mens of other varieties. President Wilder 
had 100 varieties on his table, for which, as 
stated above, he received the first Wilder 
medal. His specimens were smooth and fine, 
but appeared somewhat greener than others 
shown, except, perhaps, the fine collection of 
Ellwanger & Barry, which embraced 102 sort* 
of pears and 32 of plums, the latter taking the 
honors Lu that fruit. Their specimen* of 
Souvenir du Congres were exceptionally large 
and handsome. 
The r.uc.t display t f app’cs was made by the ■ 
Minnesota Horticultural Society, which was 
represented by Mr O. Gibbs, of that State, 
who is the society’s Secretary. One hundred 
and forty varieties were shown, including 
splendid specimens of Duchess of Oldenburg, 
Wealthy, and the new and attractive crab 
known as Whitney’s No. 20. There were also 
30 varieties of grapes in the Minnesota dis¬ 
play. All these fruits seemed well grown and 
sound, but most of them were bard and green. 
Sixty five plates of apples were shown by 
George Baldenston, Coloia Nurseries, Mary¬ 
land. 
In regard to grapes, it must be said that very 
few indeed of the entire collection shown were 
in reality ripe, and some were not even grown 
out, so backward the season proves. On the 
whole, it is perhaps a fact that the grape dis¬ 
play was inferior to that of previous yearn, 
although the tables contained a few handsome 
specimens. As attractive as any, perhaps, 
were the Duchess, Ulster Prolific, Po’keepsie 
Reel, and Black Delaware of A. J, City wood, of 
New' York. He displayed a heavily loaded 
branch of the Ulster Prolific, about six feet 
long, containing some .50 bunches, weighing 22 
pounds; also a similar branch of the Duchess, 
the buuches of which were large, compact 
and beautiful, though scarcely ripe. He had 
also specimens of his Black Delaware. His 
section of the table attracted much attention. 
J. H. Bieketts, of New burg, N. Y., showed 
23 seedlings, including Jefferson, Lady Wash¬ 
ington, Bacchus, Naomi, Peter Cooper, Pea¬ 
body, Gazelle, Lady Duidn.paud Empire State, 
All were thought meritorious, and the last 
especially drew' considerable attention by 
its large size and fine appearance. C. J. Cop¬ 
ley, of Staten island, exhibited ten new seed¬ 
lings, some of which were promising in ap¬ 
pearance. In the Minnesota collection were 
fine specimens J Worden, Rogers’s fi. Cottage, 
Penkins, Telegraph, Delaware, and Black 
Hawk, grown by A. W. Latham, Lake Minne¬ 
tonka, Minn. None was ripe, but they were 
all large and fine. Prentiss was shown by I 
8 . Hubbard, of New' York. The bunches 
were compact and the fruit of fair size, hut 
evidently not grown out. None ripe. He also 
showed Focklington and Vergennes, but 
neither w as nearly ripe. Mr. E. Williains, of 
New Jersey, had 27 varieties of native grapes. 
In his collection were Telegraph. Elvira. Bind¬ 
ley, Brighton, Vergenres, Salem, Niagara, 
Black Hawk, Early Dawn, Wilder, Lady 
Washington, Champion, Bacchus, Cornucopia, 
Martha, Worden, Herbert and Naomi. The 
only ripe Niagaras were shown by J. W. Por¬ 
ter. They were grown in Virginia ou the 
Monticello estate. In flavor they were a dull 
sweet without special character. The bunches 
were not so large as some shown from Lock- 
port, which, however, were very green. Mr. 
Porter also exhibited some wine made from 
the Niagara without sugar, he raid, a year 
ago. It was well preserved, but not high- 
flavored. 
Flower and Plant Exhibitions. The 
fine second floor of the hall was filled 
with rare plants and flowers, which were, of 
course, shown by the Pennsylvania Horticul¬ 
tural Society, It was indeed a most interest¬ 
ing place to visit, and the exhibits of Pomona 
in the room below' were perhaps surpassed by 
these beautiful specimens from the kingdom 
of her sister. Flora. The plants were well 
grown and vigorous, evincing much skillful 
and careful culture, and the display of cut 
flowers was abundant and in most cases hand¬ 
somely arranged. An immense leaf of Vic¬ 
toria Regia, from K. D. Sturtcvant, of Bor- 
denknvn, N. J., floated on the surface of a 
tank. It was over five feet in diameter, net¬ 
ted on the under surface, dark-purple in color, 
having a stem eight feet long. It was said the 
leaf would bear up a tw'elve-year old child on 
the water. An upper surface of another leaf, 
light green in color, was also shown in a sep¬ 
arate tank; an expanding flower was also dis¬ 
played in all its beauty and charmiug frag¬ 
rance on the last day of the exhibition. Mr. 
Sturtevaut’s collection of Water Lilies was 
also most interesting. In it were the Egyptian 
Lotus in bloom, Nympha-a Divonieusis, N. 
candidissima, N. rubra, N. Zanzibariensis, 
Nelumbium speciosum, Pontederia crassipus 
and many other most interesting and beauti¬ 
ful specimens of rare aquatic plants, Di Fer- 
gusson & Hons, of Philadelphia, had a line 
case of beautiful foliage plants, including 
many new species. Their coleuses, trained in 
pyramidal form, were very pretty; the palms 
were exceptionally flue, nnd the collection of 
ferns contained several new and choice sorts, 
all of which were exquisitely beautiful and 
charmingly vigorous. H. A. Dreer’s show of 
gloxinias in small pots was very attractive and 
interesting. The flowers were in all the new 
colors of this showy plant. His Tuherous- 
rootod Begonias were also pretty, and he re¬ 
ceived the first premium on each of these col¬ 
lections. John M. Hughes received flirt pre¬ 
mium for 12 Dew coleuses which displayed 
some novel coloring and peculiar markings. 
Charming nssoi tn.culs cl ccC;.dB.u... ware 
shown by various growers, which were alike 
beautiful in distinct color,markings and vigor 
of growth. Six elegant marantas were ex¬ 
hibited by Mr. Hugh Graham. Mr. Dreer’s 
calladiums were noteworthy specimens. Sev¬ 
eral species of crotons, and the lovely selag- 
inella and many other rare foliage plants 
adorned the capacious stages and attracted 
many visitors. Craig & Brother had a charm¬ 
ing collection of Maiden Hair aRd other choice 
ferns, also of roses. 
lu cut flowers the display w’as most elabor¬ 
ate and extensive, involving an immense 
quantity of flowers and much labor in the 
construction of the exhibits. They were 
woven in the form of almost every conceiva¬ 
ble device, many being especially pleasing to 
those who are content to admire stiff mechan¬ 
ical arrangements in this delicate realm of 
Nature. A church altar iu flowers and leaves 
on the stage of the hall, by Mr. Graham, was 
perhaps the most elaborate aud conspicuous 
object in this line. Then there was a river 
steamer floating in imaginary w ater, by John 
Pender: miniature flower gairiens in beds 
neatly laid out with growing plants, one by 
t he FerguSsOns; another by Heron Nisbet, 
Philadelphia, w hich took first premium. Other 
displays were a window beautifully d raped 
withSmilax and flowers, by Joseph Kift & 
8 ou; “ Gates Ajar” by VV , A. W bite, aud al¬ 
most innumerable dinner-table designs and 
funeral devices, some of which were unique 
aud pretty, and all requiring a mass of bloom 
and much labor in their construction. Rose 
buds were the principal flowers used. In this 
mention of the plant and flower display only 
a few leading exhibits have been noted. The 
entire collection w as most praiseworthy, aud 
reflects much credit ou the growers uud ex¬ 
hibitors. Any lover of flowers could spend 
two or three hours iu that room with positive 
pleasure and profit. 
Aud now in closing this paper, it only re¬ 
mains for me to speak of the generous hospi¬ 
tality shown the 1‘omological Society by the 
Pennsylvania Society and leading citizens of 
Philadelphia iu general. The last afternoon 
and evening w'ero wholly devoted to this pur¬ 
pose. The delegates were shown through the 
magnificent new City Hall building in course 
of erection, by 8. C. Perkins, President of the 
Building Committee, and arehitect-iu-ebief, 
John McArthur. Then by invitation of J. L. 
CLaghoru, President of the Academy of Fine 
Arts, the members wore conducted through 
that most interesting building in a body by 
the genial gentleman himself. From there 
the party were dri\ en up Broad Street in a 
long line of carriages and on to Girard Col¬ 
lege, through which, and all the elegant mar¬ 
ble buildings situated iu those charming 
grounds, they were carefully shown by the 
president. Home time wus spent there, and 
all were delighted with the place, its noble 
work and its grand old founder. Again, the 
purty took eairiages for Fail-mount Park 
where they visited the fine conservatory at 
the Horticultural Building where they saw 
splendid exotic aud tropical plants in great 
variety, being piloted about by the park 8u- 
perinteudeut and enlightened on the way by 
Wm. Hauudeis, of Washington. Various por¬ 
tions of the Park were visited, after which the 
party returned to the Lafayette Hotel aud 
attended a grand reception and banquet in 
the evening at the elegant rooms of the Union 
League Club as the guests of the Pennsylvania 
Society, w here they were met by the Mayor 
and other dignitaries. Toasts were offered 
aud speeches made, and the festivities lasted 
until late in the night. 
C ol. Wilder was re-elected President of the 
Pomologicul Society, and P. J. Berckmans, 
of Georgia, first Vice-president. The next 
meeting was voted to be held in Michigan in 
1*85—probably at Grand Rapids. 
A full report of the fruit discussions will bo 
given iu a future number of the Rural. 
H. HENDRICKS. 
VERMONT STATE FAIR. 
(Rural Speolid Report.) 
The Vermont State Agricultural Society 
aDd Champlain Valley Agricultural Associa¬ 
tion held their annual fair at Howard Park, 
Burlington, Vermont, September l()th to 14th 
inclusive. The weather was the pleasantest 
that Autumn affords, and visitors were nu¬ 
merous. These grounds border on Lake 
Champlain, and are among the finest I ever 
saw; the park, and the beautiful scenery sur¬ 
rounding it, noed only to i e seen to lie highly 
appreciated. Many improvements have been 
made since last year, nnd the officers of this 
society have been indefatigable in t, heir efforts 
to please. Exhibitors In most of the depart¬ 
ments were numerous, aud facilities such as 
are not, afforded by most societies were ex 
tended to them. The attendance during the fir*t 
two days was small, as is usual, but ou the re 
maining days visitors came iu large numbers, 
and assurance was given of the financial suc¬ 
cess of the exhibition. Tha absence from the 
grounds of side-show's and itinerant gamblers 
was particularly noticeable, and this alone 
gives us incontrovertible proof (hat the in¬ 
tention of this society is to benefit, the people, 
aud not to allow them to be robbed and cor¬ 
rupted by the despicable creatures who ply 
their vocations at most of our agriculture 1 
fairs. 
The show of cattle w as larger and the quali¬ 
ty of the exhibits was better than last year 
The pens for the reception of the animals have 
been moved from the left of the entrance to 
more sheltered ground, so as to allow them to 
escape the sharp wind w hich sometimes blows 
from the lake. Many of them had to find 
quarters in the sheep pens, while others were 
hitched to posts outside; the space allotted to 
their display was totally inadequate to the de¬ 
maud, so large w ere the classes in this de¬ 
partment. Moultou Bros.. West, Randolph, 
Vt., had the largest show of Jersey cattle, and 
it is said that they arc the owners of the finest 
herd of this breed iu the Green Mountain 
State. Their exhibit, comprising 22 head en¬ 
tered as a herd, took first premium. Several 
of their best animals were not shown. 
In the dairy breeds the Ayrshires were the 
most uumerous. There were four exhibitors 
of herds. C. M. Winslow, Brandon, Vt., took 
first premium. Although Guernseys are noted 
for the large yield aud excellence of their 
butter,and Vermont is a greatdairy State,still 
few were shown, for hitherto only a few im¬ 
portations of this breed have been made into 
the Green Mountain State. There was an excel¬ 
lent show of Holsteins by ex Gov. Smith and 
H. W. Keyes, St, Albans, Vt, Premiums ou 
these were taken for cows by Mr. Smith, aud 
on old bulls, by Mr. Keyes. Of Short-horns and 
Devons there was a fair show, 
Tho exhibits of sheep were not as large as 
one would naturally anticipate in this State. 
No premiums were offered on Merinos, and, 
ulthough the society offered to pay the ex¬ 
penses of freight, etc., the display of this breed 
was meagre, and undoubtedly this will be the 
ease another year unless premiums are offered. 
Cotswolds were plentiful aud fine. South 
Downs were shown in large numbers, includ¬ 
ing 11 head just imported by Frederick Bil¬ 
lings, Woodstock, Vt., from Lord Walshing- 
ham’s flock. These were pronounced by capa¬ 
ble judges to be the best representatives of 
this breed ever shown in this State, aud indeed 
they look it. 
The exhibition of swine was very small, aud 
of poultry the same must be said. The larg¬ 
est exhibits of the latter were from other 
States. 
The display of vegetables was large, espe¬ 
cially of ]«jtatoes. The show of fruits was 
small in the extreme. Apples, the farmers 
say, owing to a peculiar season, have been no¬ 
where near the average crop Grapes are 
late in ripening, aud there are no pears to 
speak of. In grain the exhibit wus small. 
In the agricultural implement department 
large numbers of manufacturers were ou 
baud to show their wares, and the exhibit was 
better and larger than last year. A spacious 
teut was given up to the display, which is au 
other indication of tho society’s intention to 
please, aud it. is hoped that those lines which 
were poorly represented this year, will be 
fully represented next. j. E. s. 
tor lUomni, 
CONDUCTED BY jIISS RAY CLARK. 
A FARMER’S DAUGHTER’S EXPERI¬ 
ENCE. 
I have read with a great deal of interest 
the opinions expressed by Mary Wager-Fisher, 
and “Lora” in the different articles written by 
them. One cause of my interest is the fact 
that I am u giri of 10, and have all of the 
work of a farm house to do. I dont mean by 
this, that 1 oversee, and plan the work, but 
that 1 do it, with my own hands, I wash, 
iron, bake, churn, cook, and do the canning; 
added to this we have hired men, during the 
busy season as all farmers do, aud they are as 
hungry as bard working men generally are. 
I have the help of a younger sister, when 
sho can spare time from her school and her 
studios, and this is all. 1 thought after read¬ 
ing so much about economy in work, that I 
would follow some of the advice given. So I 
tried for two weeks, having puddings or fruit 
for dessert as M. VV.-F. said was so much less 
trouble. But on the second day, when I served 
a saucer of very uico rich, rice pudding, the 
reply was, “I dont like puddings,” and my 
father immediately asked “why there were no 
pies for the hands, as usual.” Even though l 
am young, yet I have always lived where men 
were hired for ext ra work, and so far I must 
say, that not one over made their bed, but on 
the contrary, complain if they were not just 
what they liked. 
I am inclined to ask if t.he mea. in dif- 
