THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
97 
Among these are Thomas Meehan, C. G. Patten, J. W. Kerr, 
J. H. Hale, S. M. Emery, T. V. Munson, and G L. Taber. 
All interested in fruit and its culture are invited to attend, 
and horticultural societies are urged to send delegates properly 
accredited. Low railroad fares are promised. 
The exhibition of fruits, especially of new or little known 
varieties, and other articles of pomological interest, such as 
pruning and cultivating implements, either by individuals or 
societies, in competition for the Wilder medals, is especially 
encouraged. Such exhibits will be examined and reported on 
early in the session by a special committee of expert pomolo- 
gists, who will be governed by the society rules for naming 
and exhibiting fruits. 
At the time of its organization the membership list of this 
society comprised practically every prominent nurseryman and 
fruit grower in the country, and at the present day there is not 
a state in the Union which is not represented by some of its 
most progressive and noted pomologists. As the society is 
now working in co-operation with the division of pomology of 
the national department of agriculture the coming session 
promises, to be of more than ordinary interest. 
THE MARKET. 
Advices from the nursery centers of the West indicate that 
in general fruit stocks will be cleaned up to a large extent, and 
that cherry and apple will be scarce. Prices on pear and 
plum have not advanced as much as expected at the Chicago 
convention, though it is thought they will increase. Apple 
and cherry prices, especially the former, have stiffened per¬ 
ceptibly. It is probable that western nurserymen will have to 
go East for stock before they can get their own to marketable 
size again. There is considerable peach on hand. 
PLANTING KEIFFER HEAVILY. 
Western orchardists are planting Keiffer pear heavily and 
this variety is commanding good prices, $150 per thousand, 
where Bartlett, Clairgeau and others are selling at $So. Re¬ 
cent sales of Keiffer at 10, 12 and 15 cents for the three 
grades are noted. E. Albertson, Bridgeport, Ind., says : “If 
I were to plant an orchard of pears to-day I would select 
Keiffer for 99 per cent, of the kind. The Keiffer pear is not 
fit to eat until two months after it becomes yellow. It ripens 
from the outside, unlike other pears, and it does not rot at 
the core. The ^ eiffer is a heavy bearer and the fruit sells 
rapidly.” 
TREE PLANTING IN TREELESS STATES. 
Gifford Pinchot, forester, of the United States Department 
of Agriculture, has issued a circular announcing that the Secre¬ 
tary of Agriculture will publish in the year book for 1899. a 
resume of the achievements of the United States in every 
branch of agriculture during the nineteenth century, for dis¬ 
tribution at the Paris Exposition. The division of forestry 
will contribute a short history of forestry in this country and 
the efforts of private landowners to apply the principles of 
forestry. 
In New England there are numerous instances of planting 
white pine on waste places with excellent results, and in Mas¬ 
sachusetts the planting of larch has proved highly satisfactory. 
Many farmers have found it profitable to plant locust and red 
cedar for fence posts, and in more than one case the cultiva¬ 
tion of black walnut has brought large returns. In the Cen¬ 
tral West the fast growing catalpa and the ailanthus have pro¬ 
duced remarkable results in short periods in the hands of 
private growers. 
A distinct branch of tree planting is that practiced in tree¬ 
less states of the West. There, in addition to the uses to 
which their wood is put, trees have proved of great value in 
the form of wind breaks. In these cases the best results have 
generally been obtained from the Osage orange, catalpa, maple, 
elm, box elder, Norway spruce, Scotch pine and others, accord¬ 
ing to differing local conditions. 
Along the banks of streams trees have been ret to fix the 
fast eroding soil, and to prevent the increasing floods; and on 
cultivated hillsides which have begun to gully from the wash¬ 
ing of rain, trees have been made to do good service in check¬ 
ing the excessive surface drainage and saving the fertile soil. 
There are suggestions here for the extension of the nursery 
business. Our readers may profit by them and at the same 
time may be of service to the federal forester by sending any 
information they may have along these lines. 
THE “NATIONAL NURSERYMAN” WELL KNOWN. 
The Miami Valley Horticulturist has the following editorial 
note in the July issue : “We are indeed gratified to present 
to our readers this month a report of the National Nursery¬ 
men’s convention, of which any journal in America would be 
proud. The national reputation of the correspondent, to¬ 
gether with his eminent ability, makes us once more proud 
that the Miami Valley Horticulturist has only to look about 
our own Valley for productions. Our obligation to Mr. 
Albaugh is greater than ever.” We appreciate the compliment, 
but truth 'compels us to state that it was not entirely the 
National Nurseryman's convention. The name of the 
organization which held the convention is The American As¬ 
sociation of Nurserymen. The nurserymen’s trade journal is 
so well known in the Miami Valley that the slip of the pen is 
excusable. We call the attention of the valley journal to an 
error in its report. The official proceedings, as well as the 
official journal, gives the legislative committee as follows: 
Messrs. Watrous, Albaugh, Wilson and Meehan. 
MAY BE PROFIT IN THIS PEST. 
A daily paper in New York state published the following 
despatch from Clyde, N. Y., during a time when news was 
dull: 
The idea is suggested of the possibility of turning an apparently 
unmitigated curse into something approaching a blessing. The cocoon 
of the tent caterpillar can be carded, if not reeled. This leads to an 
estimate of the apple tree to be used as a mulberry tree, furnishing 
food for silk worms. An average tree will support ten or a dozen 
tents of caterpillars, yielding 3,100 silk makers, representing a yield of 
three pounds of silk worth $1 per pound. 
With proper appliances attached to the trunks of the trees for the 
worms to spin their cocoons in, not much time would be expended in 
gathering the product which would equal the apple proceeds of a tree 
at 75 cents a barrel. The worm might be improved so as to produce a 
finer quality of silk and in the end the silk might prove more profitable 
than the apple. 
