THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
>3 
AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL . 
A Boundless Field For Activity—Opportunities and Possibilities 
Worthy of the Best Thought and Labor of Nurserymen and 
Fruit Growers—A Grand Meeting in 1898 Favored. 
The recent meeting of the American Pomologicai Society at 
Columbus, O., was not as successful as had been anticipated. 
This fact led L. B. Pierce to suggest in a series of articles 
that existing conditions no longer give place to such an organ¬ 
ization. 
In a letter to the Country Gentleman , H. Hendricks, referring 
to the late President Wilder, founder of the society, says : 
For 34 years president of the association, and its benefactor 
to the extent of $5,000 when he died, I am inclined to agree 
with you in crediting Col. Wilder with a share in the de¬ 
velopment of this honored society equal to that of all of his 
fellow members put together. His loss seems to have been 
irreparable, notwithstanding the prophetic words of Patrick 
Barry at the Boston session in 1887, when he said: “No 
matter who stands or falls, the American Pomologicai Society 
must be maintained in full vigor and usefulness.” 
In saying this, far be it from me to disparage the efficient 
and earnest services of my good friend, Prosper J. Berckmans, 
who succeeded Col. Wilder. For him I have nothing but 
praise in his retirement, and regret that he found such a step 
necessary. But what have we seen of late years, ever since the 
Washington meeting, let us say? There have been so- 
called sessions in Chicago, California, and lately in Columbus, 
Ohio. The sessions previously held in Philadelphia, Grand 
Rapids, Boston, Ocala, Fla., and Washington were, in my 
judgment, successful and profitable meetings, as the reports 
show. Concerning the Florida meeting Mr. Pierce does not 
speak, and I do not now remember whether he was present or 
not. But it certainly was one of the most interesting and de¬ 
lightful sessions of the society I ever attended. We were prac¬ 
tically the guests of the state, and free to travel to every 
corner of it without charge. The beautiful orange groves and 
pineapple fields were thrown open to us everywhere, and we 
reveled in the luscious tropical fruits to our hearts’ content. 
It would seem like a national calamity to let the American 
Pomologicai Society go down after all the labors of its 
founders and its many achievements for the welfare and pro¬ 
motion of the great fruit interests and the fruit growers of 
America. Has it not commanded the respect of the world 
and been accorded first place as the original pomologicai 
society of the world ? 'Its fruit catalogue and nomenclature, 
have they not been recognized as standards the whole world 
over ? With the establishment of this society a new era dawned 
on the science of fruit culture on this continent. In one of 
his annual addresses Col. Wilder said: “To encourage the 
progress of fruit culture in our land by a cordial spirit of inter¬ 
course, to elicit and disseminate correct information in regard 
to the fruits of our vast territory, and to direct, control and 
advance this most important branch of terraculture, are the 
objects in view, and thus to establish a pomology for America 
which shall endure long after its founders shall have passed 
from the earth. Long may it live to carry on and perfect its 
glorious mission ! Protect, preserve and perpetuate it, and 
your names shall be enrolled as benefactors of our land and of 
mankind.” 
Who will say that this noble mission has been fully accom¬ 
plished, or that existing conditions no longer give place to 
such an organization ? If mistakes have been made in the 
management, as there have been, why not face them squarely 
and go ahead in the right way ? Some of the meetings have 
been injudiciously located, notably this last one. Other mis¬ 
takes in the conduct of its affairs have doubtless been made. 
But I am not writing in a censorious spirit. It is easier to 
point out errors than suggest practical remedies. 
Mr. Pierce speaks of “ untrodden lines of usefulness ” for the 
society, and opens wider the door of horticulture in a tempting 
way. But I seriously question the wisdom of thus enlarging 
the field. If the subject of pomology was broad enough upon 
which to build such a national society fifty years ago, when 
the fruit-growing interest was in its infancy, is it not vastly 
more worthy of the undivided interest of that society now, 
when that great industry has increased in value and importance 
a thousand fold ? Better be content to labor in the realm of 
Pomona and leave the other parts of the garden and field to 
their appropriate organizations, of which we have enough. 
If this society has accomplished anything in the past, it is 
simply because of its devotion to this one subject. To me the 
field seems boundless in itself, with opportunities and possi¬ 
bilities worthy of the best thought and labor of our most 
eminent pomologists and most intelligent, practical and suc¬ 
cessful fruit-growers in America. 
Now we are asked by the new management to renew our 
membership and assist in promoting the interests of the society. 
The circular letter just received from the new secretary, 
William A. Taylor, of the Department of Pomology at Wash¬ 
ington, states that the membership fee has been reduced from $4 
to $2, and that the volume of proceedings is ready for the 
printer, awaiting only for the full list of officers and members 
for 1897—’98. Whether such reduction is a wise measure re¬ 
mains to be seen. An increased membership ought to be de¬ 
sirable, aside from any financial aspect of the case. The 
desire for annual instead of the usual biennial meetings, which 
was expressed at the Columbus session, is another proposition 
which may be open to question. While it does not strike me 
with favor as yet, the motion to hold a meeting in 1898 at some 
suitable and accessible point, as stated in the circular, seems 
to commend itself, if a grand, big meeting can be had. Why 
not at Boston or somewhere in the East this time ? The man¬ 
agement asks for a thousand biennial members “ to accom¬ 
plish the work which is in sight.” That does not look as 
though the mission of the society has come to an end, surely. 
THE WEATHER PLANT. 
Many strange “novelties” are laid at the door of Americans, 
but it has remained for an Austrian, Mr. Nowack, to propose 
the raising of a fund of $50,000 for the establishment of an 
observatory-conservatory for the proper exploitation of the 
“weather plant,” Abrus precatorius, wild licorice. It has 
long been claimed that this tropical plant foretells the weather. 
Mr. Nowack says by it he can predict cyclones in America, 
earthquakes in Japan and volcanic eruptions in Sicily. What 
an opportunity for catalogue expatiation ! 
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