130 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL 
Twenty-fifth Biennial Session of the So¬ 
ciety—C. L. Watrous the New President 
—Summary of the Proceedings. 
The twenty-fifth biennial session of the American Pomolc- 
gical Society was held at Columbus, O., September x to 3, by 
invitation of the Ohio Horticultural Society. An address of 
welcome on behalf of the city was made by Mayor Black, 
while N. H. Albaugh gave the welcoming address for the state 
society. He “ pointed with pride ” to the progress made in 
pomology in Ohio. As in addition to large orchards of ap¬ 
ples, pears, and plums, there is a large area along Lake Erie 
entirely given up to grapes, while peaches are largely grown in 
the northwest portion of the state and along the Ohio River- 
The Ohio State Horticultural Society is even older than the 
American Bornological Society, having some years since cele¬ 
brated its semi-centennial, and it has a number of old and 
thriving county societies ; among them is that of Montgomery 
county, which for thirty-one years has not missed a monthly 
meeting. He also commented on the benefits to pomology of 
the works of Elliott, Warder, Kirtland, and Weltz. In the 
way of varieties of fruit Ohio has furnished the Stark and 
Rome Beauty apples, the Governor Wood and other cherries 
originated by Dr. Kirtland, and the Diamond peach, besides 
numerous other sorts. 
PRESIDENT BERCKMANS’ ADDRESS. 
In his biennial address. President Berckmans referred to 
the great increase in the number of plant diseases and insects, 
and the benefits that had come from the work of the experi¬ 
ment stations in furnishing methods of combatting them. 
They have also been of much value in testing the new varie¬ 
ties of fruit that are introduced and in learning their adapta¬ 
tion to the different parts of the country. • 
Among the members who have passed from earth since the 
session of 1895 are Dr. C. V. Riley, A. S. Fuller, H. M En¬ 
gle, W. W. Adams, Franklin Davis, John Saul, Robert Doug¬ 
lass, David Allen, John S. Harris, and David Scott. 
In the. discussion on new varieties of fruit, George W. 
Campbell of Delaware, O., gave the history and description of 
Campbell Early grape, specimens of which were on exhibi¬ 
tion. 
W. A. Taylor, assistant in the division of pomology, said 
that although the list of edible fruits and nuts about to be 
issued by the society showed 1,112 varieties, belonging to 57 
species, many of the foreign countries have undeveloped spe¬ 
cies that will be well adapted to cultivation in some place in 
this country, either as fruit trees or as stocks upon which to 
grow other kinds. He named a list including a number of 
palms, pineapples, eugenias, chestnuts, bananas, myrtles, 
plums, cherries, oranges, lemons, and various species of Ribes, 
Rubus, and Vitis that seemed promising. 
Professor Van Deman said that in addition to the large 
number of native species and the many foreign species that 
had been introduced, many others should be secured He 
called particular attention to the many hardy and promising 
fruits found in Armenia. 
Professor Berckmans of Georgia and Professor Craig of On¬ 
tario reported that they had tested peaches, plums, and apri¬ 
cots from Armenia, which had been carefully selected as most 
promising, but none of them had any value here. 
DIVISION OF POMOLOGY. 
The recently appointed chief of the U. S. Division of Pom¬ 
ology, Colonel G. B. Brackett of Iowa, urged the utmost har¬ 
mony between the division and the American Society of 
Pomology. The society has done valuable work, but pom¬ 
ology has grown beyond the means of the society. The 
division is provided with ample means, and directed by 
practical men it can do much good. During the past year it 
has prepared and printed the fruit list for the society. 
C. L. Watrous of Des Moines, la., referred to benefits that 
were given to pomology by the botanical, entomological, and 
mycological divisions of the U. S. Division of Pomology. 
Professor H. E. Van Deman of Parksley, Va., formerly 
chief of the division, claimed to have been the originator of 
the division, having suggested the idea to Secretary Norman 
J. Colman, and as the first chief of the division, mapped out 
the line of work that should be followed. 
SECRETARY WILSON TALKS. 
Secretary James Wilson of the U. S. Department of Agri¬ 
culture, said the government stood ready to aid pomological 
interests. He said he had just come from the West and had 
inspected the orchards about Grand Junction, Colo., where 
the climate and soil are especially adapted to the growing of 
the peach and other tender fruits. In many parts of the West 
the land can be had for nothing, the water of the rivers is free, 
but by carrying the water upon the land the latter becomes 
worth $100 per acre, and when planted to orchards, will 
readily sell for $1,000 per acre, and yet they ask the fruit 
growers of the East to allow themselves to be taxed to supply 
water for irrigating, with which this immense profit can be 
made, and also enable them to grow fruit with which they will 
compete with the eastern fruit grower in the markets. 
SAN JOSE SCALE. 
Spraying was discussed by professors W. J. Green of Ohio, 
and W. B. Alwood of Virginia, and L. A. Goodman. Needed 
state and national legislation for the suppression of the San Jose 
scale was discussed by Professor Alwood. He said that this 
insect is so likely to be distributed on nursery stock that state 
and national legislation is necessary. The law should clearly 
define the authority which should be vested in a board, with 
power to appoint a responsible inspector, who shouL have the 
right to go upon any premises to inspect suspected trees, and 
the power to quarantine within the state. It should also out¬ 
line the full machinery for carrying out the law and of enforc¬ 
ing penalties against selling or giving away infected stock. 
The state authorities cannot take cognizance of stock in tran¬ 
sit from one state to another, as that would interfere with 
interstate commerce, while the national law would not take 
cognizance of cases actually existing in a state. Both classes 
of laws are then necessary, and with them it will be possible to 
secure the rigid inspection of orchards and nursery stock, so 
that the insect can be eradicated where it has established 
itself, and be prevented from spreading to uninfested sections. 
PROFESSOR WEBSTER TOO. 
Professor F. M. Webster of Wooster, O., said that many 
of the most restrictive state laws have been found unconstitu¬ 
tional, as they interfere with interstate commerce, and for this 
reason state laws cannot be entirely effectual unless there is a 
