22 
SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 
toility of the various varieties to the several sections, such 
catalogues being revised every year and published in connec¬ 
tion with the reports of the proceedings of the societies. 
These catalogues form an invaluable guide to the planter and 
enable even a novice to select with certainty. In this sub¬ 
tropical region, where selection is more difficult than else¬ 
where, because conditions are peculiar and the precedents of 
other sections are not to be depended upon, such p catalogue 
would be invaluable. Up to this time neither in Florida, 
Texas, nor the intervening states, has such a work been is¬ 
sued. 
The only information of the kind obtainable is to be found 
in the magnificent fruit catalogue of the American Pomo- 
logical society, which includes the fruits of the entire coun¬ 
try, but is too general, and covers too wide a range, to include 
the specific information required in any particular section, 
and especially in a section like this where fruit culture is com¬ 
paratively new and developing rapidly. 
When the general revision was made of the American Pomo- 
logical society’s catalogue, in 1891, the Sub-Tropical com¬ 
mittee of that society submitted tabulated and properly marked 
lists of the fruits of the Gulf coast sub-tropical region, and, as 
chairman of that committee, I urged the importance of giving 
this great section, unique and peculiar in its pomology, a sep¬ 
arate and distinct place in the catalogue, but the time-honored 
oustom of listing by stat es was adhered to, lessening the value 
of the work for this region, although the revision was, for 
this section, as elsewhere, as thorough and comprehensive as 
possible under the restrictions of this rule. 
With the sole exception of Florida, the sub-tropical regions, 
both of the Pacific and the Gulf, are made up of parts of 
states having little in common, pomologically speaking, with 
those portions of the same states lying outside. Hence the 
inapplicability to this region of fruit lists made up with re¬ 
gard to political rather than pomological lines, and the great 
importance of the work now under way in Texas and Florida. 
These two horticuhural communities, which have grown up 
during the past quarter century on opposite sides of the Gulf, 
and which have so many interests in common, have been, up 
to this time, practically speaking, strangers. Is it not time 
for us to get acquainted ? What better way of bringing this 
about than through a joint meeting of the two horticultural 
societies ? Aside from the pleasure such a session would 
afford its participants, would not the interchange of experi¬ 
ence and opinion elicited, especially if published, be ot great 
value to the horticulture of both states ? The Texas society 
will adopt a catalogue at its next meeting ; it is proposed to 
