the 
.MEBICAN GABD^ 
ameeioau institute FAEMEBS’ olub. 
The meetings of this club aie . 
tally »>«;'> nsritorlons and 
piece, 
which was iug*' 
;;;7yseat in the large hall is occupied 
the beginning of the discussions. 
At the first meeting of the year, on > ' 
uary 13th. Gen. K. B. Alarcy of the U. S. A., 
read a highly interesting and valuable papei 
on the first occupation of the western coun¬ 
try by the expedition under his command. 
He gave a vivid description of the country, 
and the many dangers and privations en¬ 
countered by the explorers and first settlers; 
and was listened to with marked attention. 
Maj. H.E. Alvord,directorof the Houghton 
Experiment Farm, who some twenty years 
later ti’aversed the same ground in 
the government’s service, spoke of the 
changes that had taken place during that 
pei-iod, and of the great obligation under 
which the country was to General Harcy 
for the admirable management of his expe¬ 
dition into that wild region. 
Dr. E. L. Sturtevant, director of the Jfew 
York State Experiment Station, addressed 
the meeting about the work done by the 
Station in determining the relations of ear¬ 
liness in vegetables to the state of ripeness 
of the seed. Careful experiments have 
shown that unripe Tomato seed will grow 
and give a gain of fifteen days in earliness 
over ripe seed from the same plants. Peas 
and Coni fit for table use will gi-ow and pro- 
dnee earlier crops than ripe seed, but iilants 
from immature seed are more feeble than 
those from ripe seed. The results obtained 
so far show unmistakably that earliness 
is in proportion to the state of ripeness of 
the seed from which the jilants have been 
raised. The practical question to be deter¬ 
mined is how to combine both earliness 
and vigor, in the same plant, and future e.x- 
periments in selecting mature seed from 
the earliest plants grown from unripe seed 
are expected to furnish the de.sired solution. 
Among other interesting things the Doc¬ 
tor said that seeds raised in private 
gardens, as well as the Station seeds grerwn 
with all possible care were not as good as the 
average of seeds bought of first-class seed- 
hou.ses, showing how unreasonable the in¬ 
discriminate attacks against seedsmen 
are. Several questions asked Iiy members 
were obligingly answered, but our space 
does not peimit to give the discussions of 
these and other inquiries received by mail. 
The exhibition table presented a bright 
and attractive appearance, a laigc pai t of it 
being covered witli a magnificent collection 
of Carnations from Hallock & Thorpe, also 
many Roses, Violets, Geraniums, Eiichaiis 
and other flowei-s in season. ,M)-. .John 
Thorpe, president of the Society of Ameri¬ 
can I lorists, .stated it would be imjiossiblc 
to describe exactly the rules and laws that 
guided him in his work of cj o.ssing llowej s- 
to induce as much hai-iliness and vigoi’ into’ 
the seedlings was a leading object, but the 
main work was suggested more by intuition 
than anything else. This we do not doubt, 
but still there must be a pretty solid found¬ 
ation of study and knowledge of plant 
physiology as a basis from which these intui¬ 
tions arise in the mind. 
much admired. -n-ebruary 10th, Mr. 
tables.” ..f Hie Club arc held 
The regular meetings of the Giuo . 
^ 1 AMi 'Puesdav of each month at 
every 2d amUth luc y 
i-anu m in room 24 Coopei un > 
1.30 P- m. 1 ___ ^(bnission 
York. There is no 
... 
to attend. 
UBW JBESET STATE BOAED OE ABEl^ 
The twelfth annual meeting of ^ 
will be held at the State House 
on Tuesday and Wednesday, 
and 4th. The meetings are always Ih'^ ^ 
by the best and most progressive f 
of the State and are always highly • 
ing. Among the iiapers to be read Tr'®*' 
cussed are : “Insects Injurious to v 
tion,” by Prof. Charles V. RHey. oq“R a¬ 
tion of Tobacco,” by Col. James Dufiv.'’^ 
riculture,” by ex-Governor A. 6. n 
“Diseases of Animals,” by Dr D 
ii, Snl- 
well attended by the 
I and market gardeu- 
NEW JEESET STATE HOETIODLTUEAL SOOKTY. 
As usual the annual mcetingot this lloui- 
ishing society was 
prominent fruit growers 
ers of the State. _ 
Peach culture was discussed at length, 
stable manure was condemned by all lor 
Peaclies, potash and bone should be used 
instead. Severe pruning was recommend¬ 
ed; and as the best varieties for profit all 
agreed on Oldmixou and Crawford’s Late. 
The yellows were generally ascribed to pov¬ 
erty of the land. 
Quinces cannot be grown profitably un- 
,less the best care is given ; to succeed they 
must have pleiitj' of manure, bo mulched 
to keep the roots moist and cool, pruned 
severely by cutting back half the annual 
growth, keeping out the borers, and training 
in tree instead of bush form. 
Tlie Yiagara was considered the best 
wliite Grape for market. Worden and 
Moore’s Early are gradually taking the place 
of Concord, wliich is losing in favor. 
The subject of ornamenting school grounds 
received considerable attention, and it was 
the opinion of those present that in every 
public school there should be at least one 
teacher competent to teach tlie elements of 
botany. 
Many other topics were interestingly dis¬ 
cussed, of some of which wc shall make 
fuller mention in future numbers. 
NEW TOEK HOETICULTUEAL SOOIETY. 
Owing to the press of business in the 
floricultural world, incident to liDliclay 
times, no meeting was licld in .January. 
The next exhibition of the Society will take 
j.lacc on Tuesday, Fob. 3, at 2 j). m,, in Horti¬ 
cultural Hall, 28 West 28th Street. Oireiilars 
and premium-lists, may bo obtained from 
Secretary .lames Y. Mnrkland, JS Oortlamlt 
Street, New York, 
AMEBIOAN HOETIOULTDEAL SOOIETY. 
Under this name thoiMississippiValleylloi- 
icn tnral Society has, at its meeting just 
le dm JSowOrleans,re-organized itself in'toa 
na ional organizathm,having since some time 
outgrown the confines of the Missis^i, 
l!TOl .0 0,at wo'a™ l.l.Tip,,,''»■ 
our next issue 'I'hni.r c 
writes o-n. eorros^'iS.:;;' 
Amos Ebbcrt; “ Market Gardening ” ^ 
Theodore F. Baker; “Fertilizers,” byp"^ 
George H. Cook; “KaisingPouitJ 
Charles Lippincott. Programmes may h 
obtained from the Secretary,Mr. P. x. Quj 
Newark, N. J. 
KATIONAIi AGEIOULTDEAL EXHIBiHoif 
Tlie prospectus of a national agi-icuUural 
horticultural, mineral and live stock exhibj’ 
tion, to be held at Louisville, Ky., under the 
auspices of the Southern Exposition Com¬ 
pany and the Department of Agriculture of 
the General Government, sets forth that 
while all the great expositions of the world 
have been designed to illustrate the progress 
made in manufactures, the line arts, and 
the mechanical industries; the products of 
the soil, and agricultural machines and im¬ 
plements that have been displayed at these 
expositions, have never had sufficient prom¬ 
inence to give character to the exhibition. 
It is, therefore, proposed to hold a great 
exhibition in wliicli the agricultural, liorti- 
cultiu al,mineral and live stock interests will 
be the most prominent features ; and which 
is to be essentially a Farmer’s Exposition. 
MASSACHUSETTS HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
The weekly bulletins of this model society 
have again made their appearance, and be¬ 
ing .always sparkling with interesting and 
valualdc information, they are eagerly wel¬ 
comed. 
At the first meeting of the year, the now 
President, Capt. John B. Aloore, whoso term 
of office llieii began, delivere.d a most inter¬ 
esting address in which lie gave a gratifying 
stateniciit of the condition of the Society, 
wliich was never more satisfactory than at 
lu'osciit. The financial condition of the 
.Society must certainly bo a most llourishnig 
one, else it could iiotolTov over five thou-san' 
iloUars for prizes for tlio current year, "a- 
For llowers S2,ti00, fruits Sl,a00, vegetal'C’' 
SSOi), and gardens S200 ; and the api>roi"’'a- 
tioiis for the lilirary comiiiittoo S-lt®i 
mittoo oil puhlioatioii and discussion v"- ’ 
and eonmiittoo of arraiigemonts SllOO. 
At the close of the husiiioss meeting, • o 
E. IJussoll, socrotary of H'o Shite i>oan^ 
Agi-iculturo, dolivored an olegimt au'i 
('ll Gliinato. 
'I'ho loading subjects announced fi" 
eiissioii at future iiieotings during 
sou, are: jMulcliiug, Forestry, 
I’laiils vs. Hediliiig Plants, Old 
Itosis, Fruit Growing, Garden 
l.ea.1', I’l-oiiagatiuii of Trees, '.paf 
of Fruits, 1 loatiiig Groouliousos and t-'® 
Ison of Manures. ftu'day 
'I'lie mootings will ho held every 
at Hortieiiltural Hall, Boston, -i 
All interested are freely andooi'diaiiy t 
