THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
156 
IOWA HORTICULTURISTS. 
The annual meeting of the Iowa Horticultural Society 
was held in Des Moines, December loth to 12th. Among 
the prominent nurserymen and horticulturists present 
were President W. E. Hinkley, Marchs; Silas Wilson, 
Atlantic; C. L. Watrous, F. E. Pease, F. T. Pease, J. G. 
Berryhill, Des Moines; M. J. Wragg, N. C. Wragg, 
Waukee; Prof. J. L. Budd, Ames; W. M. Bomberger, 
Harlan ; C. F. Gardner, Osage; Prof. N. A. Hansen, 
Brookings, S. D.; G. B. Brackett, Denmark ; F. M. Powell, 
Glenwood ; George Van Houten, Lenox; J. C. Ferris, B, 
F. Ferris, Hampton ; Henry W. Lathrop, Iowa City ; R. P. 
Speer, Cedar Falls. W. M. Bomberger read a paper on 
“Top-Grafting the Apple in Commercial Nurseries,” in 
which he said: “ We believe from the present basis of 
operation and the facts that are at command now that 
they indicate that mixed tops will give the most satisfac¬ 
tion and best results. Since it is possible to move fruit 
growing successfully at least 100 miles north of its adapted 
latitude and the commercial district of the apple section 
of Southern Iowa to Central and Central to Northern Iowa, 
the subject of top-working is worthy of considerable at¬ 
tention on the part of both nurserymen and planters.” 
M, J. Wragg, in a paper on “ Comparative Value of 
Grape and Cherry Growing in Iowa,” said : “ Living as I 
have for many years near the Des Moines markets, and 
seeing grapes nearly every season become a glut in the 
market, while cherries are hardly able to supply the 
demand, I have no hesitancy in urging the superior claims 
of cherry growing as a profitable market crop, and every 
year is demonstrating the wisdom of planting largely to 
this most excellent fruit. We are even now pushing the 
cherry belt still further northward, and ere long such 
varieties as Wragg, on its own roots. Cerise de Ostheim, 
Bessarabian, Vladmier, Brusler Braune and the other 
Russian sorts will make it possible for people much 
farther north to have an abundance of this most health¬ 
ful, invigorating fruit, and if we never get another thing 
out of the ‘ Russians ’ there is no need of any complaint 
but we will get our money’s worth.” Silas Wilson said 
that during twenty years of experience he had found that 
the English Morello on Mazzard stock was far more pro¬ 
ductive than the Mahaleb stock. 
C. L. Watrous, C. G. Patten and R. P. Speer favored 
planting many seeds of the best fruits to originate hardy 
new varieties. 
In his paper on “ New Iowa Plum Culture,” Silas Wil¬ 
son said: 
While apple culture has become a great commercial industry, not 
only in the old apple belt of Michigan, New York and New England, 
also in Iowa, Kansas, Southern Illinois, the Ozark mountain country, 
the prune industry of the far West,the peach industry of the South and 
in Delaware and Michigan, the grape industry in New York, Ohio, 
New England and the Missouri river valley are increasing their products 
in no uncertain manner. While all of these industries have been pro¬ 
gressing, plum culture in Iowa has been keeping pace with it all. In 
the last ten or a dozen years we have had many new, valuable varieties 
added to the already long list of good plums. It may be interesting to 
many of our people to know that many of the Americana and Chickasaw 
varieties of plums have sold in the markets of Denver and Salt Lake 
City in competition with Domestica varieties, bringing fifty to sixty 
cents per peck, while the Domestica varieties were going begging at 
twenty-five to thirty cents per peck. There can be no question about 
the value of the Americana and Chickasaw plums for culinary purposes, 
as compared with the Domestica varieties. 
The new Iowa plums of recent introduction that have an established 
merit are the following; Ilawkeye, Wyant, Milton, Tatge, Charles 
Downing, Hammer, Communia and Rockford. Among the Chickasaw 
plums I would name the first in value Milton, and Charles Downing 
second. Milton is without doubt the earliest of all plums, ripening on 
my grounds July 10, nearly three weeks in advance of Wild Goose. Its 
extreme earliness and productiveness stamps it the most valuable of all 
plums. Charles Downing is the most beautiful plum I ever saw ; color 
resembling a cranberry; of good size and superb quality; the peer of all 
Chickasaw plums; have had the fruit in my office ten days after pick¬ 
ing, retaining its good flavor, then almost equal to a lump of sugar. 
This is certainly the best keeper of any of the new plums. Russian 
plums, with the experience and observation of the writer, have been 
disappointing, very slow growers and non-productive. 
J. C. Ferris read a paper on the subject “Is the Tree 
Vender a Necessary Evil?” Mr. Ferris stated that with 
proper restrictions from responsible nurseries a tree 
vender could do a good work in inducing planters to set 
out fruit trees and plants who would not otherwise plant 
a single tree or shrub. He thought that sufificient legal 
restrictions could be made to further this end. 
C. L. Watrous read a paper on “The Future Work of 
our Experient Stations,” for future experimental work. 
He thought that valuable results would come from cross¬ 
ing the hardiest varieties with those of the highest quality, 
the aim being to originate varieties combining the hardi¬ 
ness of the one parent with the large sized fruit and the 
quality of the other parent. 
B. F. Ferris read a paper on “ The Limits of the Nur¬ 
seryman’s Proper Work.” He said that nurserymen 
should not alone consider the commercial aspects of their 
avocation, but should aim to advance horticulture in all 
its departments, both by testing all new and promising 
varieties and by aiming to originate new ones. He said 
that the nurseryman would find a good field for practical 
work and for scientific research. 
In a paper on “Nursery Management of Evergreens,” 
Charles F. Gardner of Charles City, gave the best methods 
of managing and caring for young evergreens.^ He made 
many valuable suggestions. 
Secretary P. S. P'owler, of the Iowa State Agricultural 
Society, reported that at the January meeting of that 
society a vote of thanks was extended to M. J Wragg 
for the very efficient manner in which he filled the posi¬ 
tion of superintendent of the horticultural department 
during 1895. Mr. Wragg was reappointed. 
These officers were elected : President, F. M. Powell, 
Glenwood ; vice-president, Charles P". Gardner, Osage ; 
secretary and librarian, George Van Houten, Lenox; 
treasurer, W. M. Bomberger, Harlan. Hereafter only 
those who have been members two years will be allowed 
to vote at the annual meetings. 
William C. Winter, of Mansfield, Mass., has purchased 
the interest of his partner, P. M. Winter, and will continue 
the nursery business at the old stand. 
