885 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. 
(RURAL SPECIAL. REPORT.) 
HORTICULTURAL HALL. 
This branch of the great World’s Industrial 
Exposition at least stands wholly without 
parallel in the history of modern horticulture. 
Whatever may be said of any other depart¬ 
ment (and a very great deal surely can and 
should be said). I think the horticultural ex¬ 
hibit as a whole, for extent, variety and 
quality, far surpasses anylbiug of the kind 
of which we have any record. At Philadel¬ 
phia in 1876, there was no approach to it: and 
I am assured by accredited commissioners of 
this Government to Paris and Loudon, that 
nothing like it was seen at those great inter¬ 
national expositions Over 20,000 separate 
plates of fruit are now on the tables of this 
immense ball; and the luscious realm of fair 
Pomona could scarcely be more fittingly rep¬ 
resented. As I walk about the broad aisles, 
meeting almost at every step some leading 
pomologist, fruit-grower or horticulturist, I 
see a flush of pride on every cheek, and a 
gleam of satisfied asure in every eye as they 
look upon this magnificent spread from the 
orchards and gardens f the world, and when 
I talk with them, all ave the same meed of 
praise to bestow. Re resentative men of the 
fields and gardens of every State and Terri¬ 
tory, and of many foreign countries, are here 
in greater number than ever before assembled 
in one place. Men who have originated so 
many of our newer fruits: men who have been 
mixing brains with their soil, implements, 
experiments and labor for the benefit of the 
world; men who have been writing to the 
Rural, and other horticultural papers about 
fruits and their culture for years, are here by 
the hundred, and I’m glad to shake them by 
the hand. They r»U se>etn to know each other, 
and such a jolly time as they have together. 
I wish the Rural had space to name a hun¬ 
dred or more with whom its readers are so 
well acquainted by their writings. Many of 
them have journeyed thousands of miles to 
this great Southern city to see this grand 
display and talk over the methods and prac¬ 
tices, successes and failures of the past, aud 
incalculable good must result from this oue 
fact alone. A large majority have never 
visited the South before, and mauy never 
realized what the Southern States could do in 
fruit raising, or what they were doing already. 
Negroes, cotton, rice, sugar and oranges are 
not the only products of this fertile region, 
and the sooner the North realizes that this 
section of our land Is rapidly progressing into 
a competitive rivalry with her in general 
fruit culture, the better it will be. 
APPLES OF THE WORLD. 
Of course at this season apples could be 
more easily shown than almost auy other 
fruit. But while apples form much the lar¬ 
gest part of the fruit exhibit, almost every 
known fruit of the earth is here represented 
in a fair state of.preservntion, either in small 
or large quantity. The apple display, how¬ 
ever, is simply immense, embracing nearly 
500 varieties, and coming from nearly every 
apple section of the world. Speaking collec¬ 
tively, the fruit is large, smooth, handsome 
and well grown, exceptionally so. And yet 
a few of the States have not been sufficiently 
careful to exclude all indifferent and defective 
specimens. It would, of course, be unjust 
to rigidly compare foreign collections with 
our own in this respect, because of the time 
and difficulty of transportation. It is now 
over a month siuce the fruit exhibit was 
placed, and in addition to the length of time, 
many complain tf delay in transit, and want 
of cold storage facilities here as promised, by 
which New Mexico especially lost all her 
fruit, and consequently has no display. But, 
despite all this, the fruit is bolding up well 
even in this trying climate, which has so far 
been almost outrageous. 
Referring to the separate State exhibits 
somewhat in detail, I am half inclined to 
speak of Arkansas first—not because she 
is first in the fruit exhibit alphabetically, 
but on account of the exceptional excellence 
in her apple display. Her tables iu this ball, 
as well as the glass cases iu the Government 
Building, form the most attractive apple ex¬ 
hibits to be found here. This praise is due 
more especially from the fact that apple- 
growing is comparatively a new business in 
Arkansas, the adaptation of her soil and cli¬ 
mate to this fruit having boon only recently 
discovered. She has 4U0 plates and 140 varie¬ 
ties here and nearly all are large, smooth,- 
uniform and handsome, with a good average 
flavor. Sbe is awarded several premiums, 
amoDg them one on the “Shannon” variety, 
for special premium, as well as for the best 
plate of any variety grown in a Southern dis¬ 
trict, and also for the largest and haudsomest 
sort. It is a very large, smooth, beautiful, 
yellow apple. A new sort, Mammoth Black 
Twig, is also very attractive. 
Alabama Florida, Delaware, Georgia, In¬ 
diana, Louisiana, Maryland. Nevada, New 
York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South 
Carolina, Texas, Virgiuia, West Virginia, 
Arizona, Montana, Dakota, New Mexico. 
Washington and Wyoming have no apples in 
this hall, but all the other States and Territo¬ 
ries are represented. California, in the Pacific 
district, has 000 plates and about 02 varieties 
Sbe has carried off most of the premiums in 
this district; among them is one for Newtown 
Pippin. These are very fine, also her Esopus 
Spitzenburgbs are exceptionally so. The 
former are specially noteworthy for their 
bright yellow color and angular shape, never 
seen at the North. Beautiful specimens of 
Fallawater, White Winter Pearmain. Yellow 
Bellflower and Fall Pippin are shown. An 
exceptionally fine collection from San Deigo 
County, near the Mexican line, is exhibited 
This State has some 200 plates of pears, on 
which fruit she has taken several special 
premiums. Many of the specimens are indeed 
monstrous, some weighing over 2J4 pounds 
each. She also has a fair collection of grapes 
and a variety of Japanese Persimmons, which 
fruit is shown here to a considerable extent, 
Colorado has a display of apples most inter¬ 
esting in every respect, and her tables attract 
many fruit men. Of course, all are the pro¬ 
ducts of iirigation. While the fruit is gener¬ 
ally much smaller than that grown in old, 
natural apple sections, it is very smooth, most 
beautifully colored aud entirely devoid of 
fungus. The bright sunshine of that locality 
paints the cheek of the apple more delicately 
than it is painted anywhere else. About 100 
varieties are shown on 250 separate plates; 
some 17 orchards being represented. These 
are located at an altitude of from 4.500 to 
5,500 feet above the sea, and in an area of 200 
miles extending from the Valley of St. Vraios 
to the Arkansas Valley on the south. The 
oldest orchard in the State is about 16 years 
old; but most orchards are just coming into 
bearing, it having lately been found that 
apples would grow there. It is claimed they 
can be produced there os cheaply as anywhere 
else. There is no trouble from droughts or 
excessive rains; irrigation costs about $50 per 
acre, and a crop is raised annually. The 
largest orchard ia the State contains 2,000 
trees; the largest iu bearing. 1,000, which last 
year produced 4.5U0 bushels; average price 
$2.50 per bushed, $5 per barrel. I am assured 
that the apple acreage there will be more than 
doubled during this year. 
Illinois has the largest apple exhibit in the 
hall, and the greatest variety, having 1,500 
plates, und 253 sorts. It is a notable collec¬ 
tion, with some very fine fruit, and the display 
attracts much attention. She takes the prem¬ 
ium on the best collection not exceeding 200 
kinds; also on 100 kinds grown iu a northern 
district. This State claims the best seedling 
not yet introduced. It is named “Shackle¬ 
ford ” it is red, striped on yellow ground, of 
Bellflower shape, sub acid, a good wiuter 
keeper, and originated at Athens, Mo. 
Idaho has a splendid Collection of apples, 
although few in number, there being only 
about 15 plates iu this hall aud a few others in 
the Government Building. But the specimens 
shown are unusually large aud beautiful, es¬ 
pecially Spitzonburgb, Blue Pearmain, Yellow 
Bellflower, Fall Pippin aud Ben Davis. 
Many fruit men regard this as the most re¬ 
markable exhibit here, for size and appear- 
auee at least, ami it evinces great possibilities 
for that thriviuguew Territory. 
Iowa has 500 plates and 125 varieties, em¬ 
bracing all the leading kinds. Some of these 
specimens are very fine, and show good health 
und vigorous growth This State has taken 13 
premiums in the different classes. Its best 
specimens,perhaps, are Grimes’s Golden. Jona¬ 
than, Roman Stem, aud Rome Beauty. The 
latter is, iu fact, beautiful. These are said to 
be the (luest table apples. Some fine New- 
tmvns are also shown, aud, as a whole, the 
exhibit is attractive aud somewhat carefully 
placed. 
Kansas also has an exhibit of apples most 
creditable in all respects, even for that pro¬ 
gressive State. Thera are 400 plates aud 130 
varieties on her tables, aud the collection will 
bear close inspection, even to tasting. The 
fruit is large, handsome, ami well colored. 
Kentucky shows 315 plates, and about 100 
varieties, and the collection embraces some 
fine fruit, showing this State can grow apples 
as well as valuable native woods and speedy 
horses. 
Maine shows 100 varieties in a collection of 
225 plates. She takes four prizes, and her fruit 
looks well, beingof high color and good form. 
Massachusetts has some 60 plates and 30 
varieties, without any really fine specimens 
among the lot small as it is Most of the 
fruit is now decayed. No special care seems 
to have been given this branch of the State’s 
exhibit. 
The Michigan display is very attractive 
and handsome. Some 400plates and 200 sorts 
are shown, including all leading kinds of auy 
particular value. The fruit is large, smooth 
and handsome, and the State has received 
nine prizes. 
Minnesota has 35 varieties on about 30 
plates, having taken two premiums. She also 
has a notable exhibit of grapes—some 60 
plates and 13 varieties. These are in excep¬ 
tionally good condition for the season. She 
also has a magnificent bunch of the Iona 
grapes splendidly preserved in a solution in a 
can. 
(To be continued.) 
CONVENTION OF THE MISSISSIPPI 
VALLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
(RURAL SPECIAL REPORT.) 
The sixth annual meeting of this society 
commenced on January 14, in Horticultural 
Hall at the Exposition Buildings, with a large 
attendance, the Pre-ident, Parker Earle, of 
Cobden. 111., in the chair. In his address of 
welcome he called attention to the purpose 
and ambition of the society to get together at 
this Exposition the products of garden and 
vineyard, orchard and forest, illustrating the 
resources of the leading countries of the world 
as well as of our own, thus affording to those 
who may visit it far greater facilities for 
comparison and study of the different fruits, 
plants and trees than have ever before been 
offered. If the managers had not accom¬ 
plished as much as they had hoped, they had 
worked faithfully aud diligently to promote 
the great enterprise of bringing together an 
exhibition that would do some honor to Amer¬ 
ican horticulture. Still with ail their efforts, 
they had not been able to induce some of the 
leading fruit and plant growers of some of 
our Stales to contribute to the exhibit. 
There are many men and firms who have 
grown wealthy on the patronage of the hor¬ 
ticultural pnblie, who have not seen it to be 
their duty to help make this first attempt at 
an international exhibition of horticulture 
more complete. These gentlemen will per 
haps grow more liberal when they grow more 
wise. Some exhibits from abroad have been 
greatly damaged and others have entirely 
failed to reach us; but notwithstanding all 
these drawbacks, we were able to offer a horti¬ 
cultural exhibition, which, for extent, variety 
and instructiveness, has never been equaled 
in the world. We have exhibits of fruits 
or plants, or both, from 36 American States 
and Territories, from 11 foreign nations and 
three foreign provinces—just 50 States and 
countries, in all. and more are expected. We 
have nearly 20,000 plates of fruits represent¬ 
ing all kinds of soil and climates, from the 
rich jungles of Nicaraugua to the mountains 
of Colorado and Idaho, or the cold northern 
plains of Quebec; from the semi-tropic orch¬ 
ards of Florida to the rich valleys of Califor¬ 
nia aud Oregon. We cau #how more than 100 
varieties of apples from England, some of 
which are said to eume from trees older than 
the American nation itself. We can show 
many varieties from far-off Central Russia, 
which have traveled 7,000 miles to reach this 
Exhibition, and we can show, in limited 
amount, apples grown on the table-lauds of 
Mexico 8,000 feet above the sea. 
The student iu this exhibition can study 
certain interesting problems in pomology un¬ 
der more favoring circumstances than have 
heretofore been offered. He can compare the 
same varieties of apples as grown in the hu¬ 
mid northern climate of Old England and in 
the dry valleys of extreme Southern Califor¬ 
nia; as grown in the contrasting climates of 
Wisconsin and Arkansas; or those grown on 
the l««n bill-sides of Vermont or Maine, with 
the products of fertile Kansas ami Nebraska. 
He may also note the effect of 5 000 or 6.000 
feet of elevation, und of rainless Summers, 
where water is supplied only by irrigation, as 
shown on the beautiful tables of the Colorado 
exhibit. He may contrast the apples from 
California orchards, where severe freezing is 
unkuowu, with those from trees which have 
to endure 40 degrees below zero in Wisconsin 
or the Province of Quebec. He may study 
Russian apples as produced in the interior of 
Russia aud in the interior of America. In 
fact, tbosuggegtlveuessand educational value 
of this great show of the world’s fruits, 
brought together from so many countries, are 
almost without limit. 
Not the least important of the exhibits of 
this department are those iu the division of 
forestry. We have over 8,000 specimens of 
forest, fruit aud ornamental trees, embracing 
nearly every tree of value grown on the 
North American Continent, from the little 
Tom Thumb Arbor-vitse, Dot much bigger 
than the hat, to young specimens of those 
glorious forest giants, which tower 300 feet in 
bight over the ranges of California moun¬ 
tains. The forestry exhibit is very valuable 
in the living trees shown, and especially in 
the great wealth of timber specimens to be 
seen in nearly all the State exhibits in the 
Government Building. No such an exposition 
of the forest wealth of a nation was ever be¬ 
fore made on earth. But this is a wealth that 
is fast vanishing, and the lesson for every 
horticulturist and student of political economy 
to learn here is this: that our own country 
has a bound less capacity for timber produc¬ 
tion, embracing all the most useful woods of 
the world. Let every man be encouraged to 
plant trees, rather than destroy them, by all 
this magnificent display. 
The first paper presented to the meeting 
was by J 8. Collins, of New Jersey, on “Our 
Fruits,” and related practically to the raising 
and marketing of fruits in the vicinity of 
Philadelphia. Pa. He esteemed the straw¬ 
berry the most uncertain of all in its results, 
yieldiug returns ranging from nothing to $500 
per acre. He emphasized the fact that bear¬ 
ing orchards must have their vigor maintain¬ 
ed by the use of fertilizers, if they are not 
cultivated, and recommended for tbe destruc¬ 
tion of iDseet enemies an early spraying with 
Paris-green, used in tbe proportion of half a 
pound to 100 gallons of water. 
Cold storage, as now practiced, he thought 
both convenient aDd profitable, enabling fruit 
growers to hold apples and pears over a glut¬ 
ted, low-priced market till berries returned 
the following season. He has been very suc¬ 
cessful in storing fruits in an old barn, filling 
in the ice above, and using the room beneath 
for a cold store-room. He bad taken no pre¬ 
cautions to insure a dry atmosphere, having 
found no harm occur to apples and pears even 
when subjected to a considerable drip of 
water. 
Mr. Obtner and Mr. Pierce, of Ohio. Mr. 
Caywood, of New York, Mr. Cassel. of Miss¬ 
issippi, and others joined in a discussion, the 
gist of which was that for apples and pears, 
if a room be kept at a temperature below 40°, 
moist air is rather beneficial, but that for 
many other fruits, particularly grapes and 
citrus fruits, dampness is always deleterious. 
Mr. Chas. Gibb of Abbotsford. Quebec, in 
a paper on “Russian Nomenclature,” deplored 
the fact that Russian apples do not always 
receive the same name in different localities 
in that vast country, which has led to much 
confusion here. He hoped that much might 
be done to arrive at some good system of nam¬ 
ing these foreign apples, through a conference 
of committees from the Mississippi Valley 
Horticultural Society and the American Po- 
mological Society. Such a committee was ap¬ 
pointed consisting of T. T. Lyon, of Michigan, 
Chas. Gihb, of Quebec. George W. Campbell, 
of Ohio, G B, Brackett, of Iowa and T. V. 
Munson, of Texas. In the discussion on Rus¬ 
sian fruits several gentlemen were very posi¬ 
tive iu the opinion that little benefit is to be 
derived from the introduction of Russian ap¬ 
ples. Mr. Vandernym of Kansas offered a 
resolution denouncing their introduction south 
of latitude 40°. T. T. Lyon said that he had 
found these apples inferior in quality, yet 
would like further experience, especially in 
raising seedlings from Russian parentage. 
Mr. Budd, of Iowa, gave a very interest¬ 
ing off-hand talk on Russian fruits, 
presenting facts similar to those which 
he is giving to readers of the Rural Mr. 
Vanderman's resolution was lost, few mem¬ 
bers voting in tbe affirmative. 
The Society then adjourned until the after¬ 
noon of Thursday. m. t. e. 
New Orleans, Jan. 20. 
Ciifianj. 
MAGAZINES. 
The Midwinter number of the Century in 
illustration and contents will be very interest¬ 
ing to an unusual number. “AFlorentin' 
Mosaic’’is illustrated by two full page plates 
and Seven small ones. Edmund C. Stedman 
writes of Oliver Wendell Holmes, and a flue 
likeness of this kindly, cultured humorist ac¬ 
companies this article. “Canada as a Winter 
Resort” is illustrated in fourteen attractive 
pictures. An extract from Mark Twain's new 
boob is given, but the interest of the number 
centers about General Grant's account of the 
“Battle of Shiloh.” William Preston John¬ 
son writes of “Albert Siduev Johnson” and 
the “Shiloh Campaign ” “Tbe Notes of a 
Confederate Staff-officer at Shiloh” give a 
review of this battle from the Southern side. 
These, with illustrations of places, and por¬ 
traits of Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, Major Gen¬ 
eral Lew Wallace, Gen. Buell, Brig,-General 
