THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
7 
the scale in many orchards there. They hope in this way 
to eradicate the pest. I was in California last month and 
saw an orange grove, the trees of which two years ago 
were denuded by the scale. The ladybird was introduced 
and to day that grove is flourishing like a green bay tree.” 
The morning session closed with a lively discussion of 
the qualities of various kinds of pears. S. D. Willard 
thought that appearance rather than quality was desirable 
in a market pear. Mr. Hooker said that for Western New 
York the most desirable standard pear is the Bartlett ; 
the Duchess among the dwarfs. Anjou is also a good 
variety. The Kieffer said Mr. Hooker, is doubtful. It 
has done remarkably well in the South. The Clairgeau 
is dropping off. President Barry said his list would have 
at the head the Winter Nellis, which is a great bearer, 
one of the greatest bearers among the pears; it bears 
every year, and in fact is inclined to overbear. It is 
one of the favorite pears of California. The Bose is 
next in Mr. Barry’s estimation. Mr. Barry is inclined 
to view the pear question in much the same light as 
does Mr. Willard. He believes that the appearance of 
the fruit in market causes it to sell, rather than the 
quality. For this reason Mr. Barry would place the 
Clairgeau next in his list. This vadety, said he, is very 
showy. And a Clairgeau loaded with fruit is as handsome 
a sight as a fruit tree can present. The tree is perfect in 
form. Mr. Barry would add the Anjou, making a list of 
the best four varieties he can name. 
NEW SEED DISTRIBUTION. 
The following draft of a bill in regard to the distribution 
of seeds has been sent to the agricultural committees of 
both houses of congress by Secretary of Agriculture 
Morton : 
All act to regulate the distribution of seeds by the Department of Agri¬ 
culture 
Be it enacted by the Henate and House of Jteprese/itatides of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled. That all seeds, bullis, trees, 
shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants purchased and propagated by the 
Secretary of Agriculture as reipiired liy law, shall be distributed to the 
agricultural experiment stations in the several states and territories, to 
be by them redistributed to such persins as shall engage to make full 
tests of the same under the direction of the stations, and to furnish the 
stations with written reports of these tests on blanks to be provided by 
the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
allot to such agricultural experiment stations as make application to him 
such amounts from any funds appropriated under the provisions of this 
act as may seem to him advisable to enable the stations to puichase 
seeds, bulbs, trees, shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants for distribution 
in the manner aforesaid and to pay the expenses of such distribution, 
with due regard to the varying conditions and needs of the respective 
states and territories. 
Sec. 3. The seeds, bulbs, trees, shrubs, vine.s, cuttings, and plants 
distributed by the Department of Agrievdture and the agricultural 
experiment stations under the provisions of this act, shad be transmitted 
in the mails of the United States free of charge for postage under such 
regidations as the Postmaster-General may from time to time piesciibe. 
Sec. 3. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby 
repealed. 
It is proposed to appropriate $25,000 for the puichase 
of seeds. 
NEW JERSEY HORTICULTURISTS. 
The twentieth annual meeting of the New Jersey State 
Horticultural Society was held in Trenton on January 2d 
and 3d. Secretary Henry 1 . Budd, of Mt. Holly, in his 
report said: “The most marked successes were where 
soil has been of the right texture, where the proper kind 
of fertilizers have been used in liberal quantities, and 
where the proper insecticides and fungicides have been 
sufficiently and intelligently applied. The great secret to 
successful orcharding is care and eternal vigilance. 
Diseases and destructive insects among trees and plants 
are on the increase, and will require all the skill of our 
scientific schools and experiment stations and hearty 
co-operation of our farmers to successfully combat. We 
should secure legislation to assist in their extermination.” 
President E. B. Beebe of Elizabeth in his address said ; 
“ Practical experiments are in the line of advancement in 
horticulture, and of the members of this society each one 
is expected to contribute something. We are largely 
benefited by the good influence we exert over our neigh¬ 
bor. Poor goods do not build up a good market, but 
good products in good packages attract good buyers, and 
all are benefited. 
“ Horticulture is the peer of agriculture. Look the 
state over from Sussex to Cape May ; even the hills of 
Sussex pay better in peach orchards than in grazing cattle. 
The bogs and sands of South Jersey pay better in cran¬ 
berries, strawberries and other fruits than in any agricul¬ 
tural product. We must send men to the legislature to 
represent us. We have thousands of acres in New Jersey 
yet to be redeemed from waste land, and made to bear 
the cranberry and strawberry, blackberry, apple, pear and 
peach. If the increase in these products for the next 
thirty years shall equal the last thirty, then New Jersey 
will be the queen, and horticulture triumphant.” 
An address which was listened to with much interest 
was one on “ Irrigation for Fruit Culture, or the Most 
Practical Methods to Make Fruit-Growing Profitable,” by 
J, H. Hale, of South Glastonbury, Connecticut. Mr. 
Hale said that irrigation would undoubtedly pay, where 
possible. It would be possible where there were high 
streams. It might be practicable to use city water on 
small lots adjacent to the city. It required an enormous 
supply of water every day through the dry season—better 
none at all than not enough. He did not believe enough 
could be obtained by windmills. The steam engine, heavy 
enough, with pipes for a forty-acre farm, would cost $2,000 
to $4,000. 
In a paper on “ Intensive Horticulture ” Rudolphus 
Biimham of Camden said : “ In soil, water, climate, good 
o 
roads, general transportation facilities and location as to 
great centers of population, our state surpasses all others 
as a grand garden, and the tendency of agriculture is in 
the direction of horticulture. Properties which within our 
recollection were in one farm now constitute from two to 
four, each one of which receives more labor and manure 
and produces more dollars than when it was in one farm,” 
