146 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
In his annual address President Wellington said that last 
year the society had 3,315 members, this year 4,151 who had 
paid their fees. The receipts this year were $6,895 5 the 
balance on hand $784. He spoke of the reception by Hon. 
Sidney Fisher of the deputation which had gone to Ottawa to 
interview him regarding the San Jose scale. By his courteous 
and prompt action in responding to the wishes of the deputa¬ 
tion, he showed himself to have at heart the true interests of 
the farmers. The provincial government, too, had ably 
seconded his efforts in this matter. He referred in a con¬ 
gratulatory manner to the fruit experimental work and to the 
establishment of an experimental station on St. Joseph Island. 
The encouragement received in the matter of exportation to 
Great Britain was also mentioned with gratification. 
There was much discussion of methods of shipment of fruit 
to England ar.d of the effects of spraying. 
The election of officers resulted as follows : President, W. 
E. Wellington, Toronto; vice-president, Wm. Orr, Fruitlancf; 
secretary-treasurer, L. Woolverton, Grimsby ; directors, W. A. 
Whitney (Iroquois), R. B. White (Ottawa), George Nicol 
(Cataraqui), W. Boulter (Picton), Thomas Beal (Lindsay), E. 
C. Beman (Newcastle), M. Pettit (Winona), A. M. Smith (St. 
Catharines), J. S. Scarff (Woodstock), J. I. Graham (Vande- 
leur), T. H. Race (Mitchell), Alexander McNeil (Walkerville), 
G. C. Caston (Craighurst) ; auditors, A. H. Pettit (Grimsby) 
and Geo. E. Fisher (Freeman). It was decided to hold the 
next annual meeting at Whitby. 
VIRGINIA. 
The annual meeting of the Virginia Horticultural Society 
was held at Charlottesville, Dec. 6 —7- A lecture on new 
fruits, with models, was given by United States Pomologist 
Brackett. Professor W. B. Alwood of the experiment station 
gave an illustrated lecture on planting and pruning fruit trees ; 
also a report on entomology, dealing largely with the San Jose 
scale. Officers were re-elected as follows : President, Samuel 
B. Woods, Albemarle ; vice-president, W. H. Boaz, Covesville ; 
secretary-treasurer, George E. Murrell, Bedford. 
MARYLAND. 
The first annual convention of the Maryland State Horti¬ 
cultural Society was held in Baltimore, Dec. 14-15. Presi¬ 
dent Charles G. Biggs, of Sharpsburg, complimented the mem¬ 
bers on the interest shown in the organization. Professor 
William A. Taylor, of the division of pomology, United States 
Department of Agriculture, delivered an address on “The Pos¬ 
sibilities of Apple Culture in the Blue Ridge Mountains.” He* 
argued that since the soil and climatic conditions were of the 
right sort, the Blue Ridge district could, because of its avail¬ 
ability to eastern ports, compete with advantage for the foreign 
as well as domestic trade in. apples. As the most profitable 
varieties Professor Taylor suggested Winesap, Ben Davis, 
York Imperial; and in some places Pippins. 
State Entomologist W. G Johnson and others reported 
orchards generally to be in a healthy condition. Papers were 
read by J. W. Kerr, Denton, and W. F. Allen, Salisbury, nur¬ 
serymen, the former on the plum, the latter on small fruits. 
The following officers were elected : President, James S. 
Harris, Coleman, Kent county ; vice-president, Samuel B. 
Loose, Sharpsburg, Washington county; secretary and 
treasurer, Professor W. G. Johnson, College Park, Prince 
George’s county; vice-presidents, R. S. Cole, Harman’s; Richard 
Vincent, Jr., White Marsh ; J. W. Kerr, Denton ; R. McHenry, 
Griffith ; George Balderson, Colora; Samuel Cox, Jr., Bel 
Alton ; E. Stoner, Westminister ; Robert L. Gulick, East New 
Market; H B. Witther, Frederick county ; Charles T. Sweet, 
Swanton ; W. F. Bergman, Dayton ; J. Savage Williams, Har¬ 
ford county ; James H. Baker, Pomona; C. R. Hartshorn, 
Brighton; C. C. D. Pownshend, Woodmore ; John W. Hall, 
Marion Station; Frank Emory, Centreville ; J. P. Ballinger, 
Mechanicsville ; Dr. Charles Lowndes, Easton ; Orlando Har¬ 
rison, Berlin ; Thomas Parry, Salisbury ; Arthur L. Towson, 
Smithsburg; James M. Mattingly, Mount Savage. 
THE WORDEN SECKEL PEAR. 
Through the courtesy of Messrs. Smiths & Powell Co., of 
Syracuse, N. Y., we are permitted to present to our readers in 
this issue a cut of the Worden Seckel pear, of which we have 
made frequent favorable mention in this paper heretofore. 
The pear as represented here, is about one half the size of a 
well grown, fully developed specimen. 
This beautiful pear was originated by Sylvester Worden, of 
Oswego Co., N. Y., the originator of the celebrated Worden 
grape. It is a seedling of the Seckel, which we think is con¬ 
ceded by pomologists to be a standard of excellence. For the 
last ten or twelve years, this original tree has not failed to 
bear a crop of beautiful, well formed, healthy fruit, without 
spraying or any other treatment, showing, we think, a freedom 
from a tendency to scab or other pear diseases. The tree is 
more upright and a much better grower than its parent, and 
has a rich, abundant foliage, which it retains until late in the 
season. Its hardiness is evinced by the fact that in the cold 
county of Oswego the trees have stood without injury for 
many years. 
It is an enormous bearer and, therefore, the fruit requires 
thinning fully and properly to develop the specimens. It 
ripens a little later than the Seckel, is ail excellent keeper, and 
we should expect it to make a good shipper. 
There are few, if any, other pears that combine such high 
quality, such rare beauty, great production, hardiness and free¬ 
dom from disease. 1 he past season some magnificent speci¬ 
mens of the fruit were taken from the parent and other trees, 
and these were distributed among the leading pomologists in 
the country, and the National Nurseryman being favored 
with a sample, can testify as to its excellent quality. The 
enconiums it received from the many eminent pomologists 
and fruit lovers were most complimentary, and by them it has 
been awarded a high place in the honor roll of new and valu¬ 
able acquisitions to the pomology of this country. 
We are informed by the disseminators of this pear that they 
were able to pick many excellent specimens from the three and 
four year old standard trees in the nursery row the past season, 
which speaks well for its early maturity and bearing qualities. 
The contemplated large plantings by orchardists and pom¬ 
ologists all over the country would indicate their esteem and 
confidence in its future. We think we do not over praise it in 
stating that it is the best and handsomest dessert pear yet in¬ 
troduced, and if its future can be judged by its past, it will be 
as popular as it is handsome and good. 
Bind your numbers of the National Nurseryman and 
have for ready reference an indexed record of the trade news 
of the year. $1 per annum. 
