146 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
ing his own salesman, he procurred pasteboard boxes, 
and repacking the fruit from the half-barrels into the 
boxes, with one under each arm he started out to find a 
market. Dr. Grant of the Hudson Valley was also 
trying to convince the people of the value and the 
wholesomeness of this delightful fruit, and these men 
were sharp competitors for customers at that time. The 
Catawba has been tried and found wanting in most 
localities. Nothing seemed of much value except the 
Isabella. Some enthusiasts to whom all honor is due 
were working, either by hybridizing or from seedlings to 
get something better. The year 1854 brought out the 
Concord, pronounced the grape for the millions then, 
the prophesy holding good against all competition up to 
the present time. But little was done in the way of 
commercial planting until well along in the sixties. The 
grape filled a place then and has continued increasing 
its hold upon our people until the estimated output for 
the year 1892 for New York alone, is 120,000,000 
pounds.” 
RECENT PUBLICATIONS. 
One of the most attractive catalogues of the season is that des¬ 
criptive of the native North American ornamental plants offered 
by Harlan P. Kelsey of the Highlands Nursery, Linville, N. C. 
Typographically it presents more than the usual claim to attention. 
Several photo-engravings add much to its appearance. The list 
includes hardy American trees, deciduous ; hardy evergreen trees, 
hardy native evergreen and deciduous shrubs ; hardy native vines 
and climbers ; hardy native ferns, aquatics, bog plants and herba¬ 
ceous perennials. 
The American Agriculturist is preparing to publish the first 
number of volume 53. It is a standard authority upon agriculture 
and horticulture. Each volume presents 900 engravings. New 
York : Orange Judd Co. 
In the issues of November 9th and 16th the American Florist 
presented some excellent photo-engravings of leading varieties of 
chrysanthemums, samples from the great Chicago show. Some of 
the engravings were in colors. 
One of the most complete publications of the kind is The 
Gardener's Magazine of London, Eng. Its reports of the proceed¬ 
ings of all the horticultural societies of the United Kingdom, are 
unexcelled for completeness and correctness. It is a compendium 
of the gardening events of the year. Its illustrations too are 
exact and of great value and interest. 
The publishers of Florists' Exchange have purchased American 
Gardening, heretofore published by the Rural Publishing Co., and 
are now issuing it twice each month. The size of the journal 
corresponds to that of the old American Garden or 1 opidar 
Gardening, 8^ x 12^ inches. The new journal retains the best 
features of the above papers with important additions. 
To the Bancroft Company of Chicago, the world will always 
be indebted for the preservation, in the most elaborate form poss¬ 
ible, by description and illustration, of the wonders of the World’s 
Columbian Exposition of 1893. Pew of the millions of visitors saw 
jail that was presented, but by means of “ The Book of the Pair ” 
all the features of the Exposition maybe studied at leisure. The 
work is on a plan commensurate with all the undertakings of the 
Bancroft Company. Part 1, comprising the first forty pages of 
the book contains a comprehensive account of the world’s fairs of 
the past, covering the period since the first world’s fair was held 
in London more than forty years ago, with incidental accounts of 
the fairs of all nations which are held annually, or oftener. There 
is an admirable historical sketch of the industrial, commercial and 
educational progress of Chicago by Hubert H. Bancroft who has so 
signally demonstrated his ability to preserve the history of a 
nation, state or city. Part 1 contains also the beginning of chap¬ 
ter three, which details the evolution of the Columbian Exposition. 
In part 2, the plan for getting the great undertaking under way 
is continued. The organization of the board of managers, the 
issuance of bonds, the advertisement of the Pair in this and foreign 
lands and finally the breaking of ground for the buildings are 
detailed. Chapter four describes the site, the plan and the arti¬ 
ficers. This is one of the most entertaining features of the book. 
The reader here obtains a graphic description of the general plan 
and is conducted by a master hand throughout the Exposition. 
Due honor is paid to the department of horticulture as “ one of 
the most attractive portions of the grounds. ” Appropriate men¬ 
tion is made of the great artificers through whose skill that most 
attractive feature, the conception as a whole, the uniform and 
consistent yet diversified plan in the arrangement of the building, 
was maintained. Chapter five has to do with the Exposition 
management, the Congress Auxiliary and finances. The illustra¬ 
tions in the book are profuse and invariably of the highest order 
of excellence. Chicago : The Bancroft Company. 
The transactions of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society 
deserve a place in every library. No similar society in the land 
is so well organized nor do the subjects discussed receive such 
admirable treatment as those presented by the members of this 
society. Part 1 of the proceedings of 1893 is at hand. The papers 
on “Village Improvement, ” “Landscape Gardening, ” “Histori¬ 
cal Sketch of English Horticulture, ” “ The Economics of Horti¬ 
culture, ” Combating Fungous Diseases of Plants, ” “Wild Flowers 
and Ferns,” “The Carnation and its Culture,” “Poisonous 
Plants,” “ Aquatic Plants and their Culture” and “A visit to 
Japan ” are essays on those subjects. Parts 1 and 2 of the trans¬ 
actions of 1892 are equally interesting The library of the society 
is very valuable. In the long lists of those who are and have 
been honorary and corresponding members are the names of many 
distinguished horticulturists in this and foreign lands. The 
society and the library are ably cared for by the secretary, Robert 
Manning. 
In “Literary Industries, ” a memoir, by Hubert Howe Ban¬ 
croft, there is presented a most interesting account of the life and 
work of the great historian. It is a record of the continuous efforts 
along a single line during thirty years, a history of the develop¬ 
ment of one of the greatest literary undertakings ever accomplished. 
The work describes the field covered; H. H. Bancroft & Co.; the 
transition from bibliopolist to bibliophile ; the library and the 
literary workshop in which the author worked; the perils of 
publishing; historic researches in the south and north; his method 
of writing history, etc. The Bancroft library comprising 60,000 
volumes is in scope, plan and purpose beyond comparison with any 
other American collection. It is made up exclusively of printed 
and manuscript matter pertaining to the Pacific states, from 
Alaska to Panama. It is a wonderful collection of historic data. 
The history of its acquirement and the manner of using it are 
detailed in this new book. Mr. Bancroft says “ This volume closes 
the narrative portion of my historical series; there yet remains to 
be completed the biographical section. ” There is an excellent 
steel engraving of the historian and an introduction to the work 
by George Frederick Parsons. New York : Harper & Broth¬ 
ers. 
A marked advance in the style of a nurseryman’s catalogue 
has been made by The Jewell Nursery Company of Lake City, 
Minn. The new catalogue of this company is a 7x10 book of 100 
pages, with heavy book paper, upon which the illustrations and 
excellent letter press stand out with remarkable clearness. Pour 
pages are devoted to the illustration by photo engravings of the 
exterior and interior of the company’s buildings. The catalogue 
is the product of a western printing house ; it would do credit to the 
pretensions of the largest eastern concern. A large amount of 
matter, of interest both to nursei’ymen and planters is included 
within the pages. 
