The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-16
FRUIT CULTURE.

The American genealogical Society held
its twenty-fifth anniversary in Boston or
September 10, and Hon. Marshall p
Wilder, its venerable president, delivered
an admirable retrospective address upon
the occasion. This address is suggestive
summary of progressive incidents in the
history of Horticulture in this country,
and Mr.. Wilder, who, while occupying for
many years high place among Boston's
merchant princes, has also been the pioneer
of genealogical promotion, presented the
salient points of the record in very forci-
BILE style. All lovers Of good fruit will
appreciate some extracts from President
Wilder's address. Referring to what has
been accomplished in improving the culture
and classification of fruits during the past
twenty years, he says: g y
"Few are aware of the great revolution
which has taken place in fruit culture since
the establishment Of this National Pemo-
logical society, or of the laborious efforts
Of these patient pioneers and investigators
who have spent their lives for the promo
ton Of our art Nor can we omit here to
acknowledge the influence of the press, to
which we are so much indebted for the
dissemination of our experience. Some
are now living who can remember the time
when there was not an agricultural or hor-
tlcultnral paper, or q book on fruit culture,
published on this continent. Look back
and compare that period with the present
time, with its flood of books, newspapers
and periodicals which are WIDELY or in
part devoted to the spread of genealogical
knowledge, and we shall appreciate the
great advantages arising theretrom. Many
Of those present can remember the time
when there were but few apples sent
from our western states to the eastern
coast. Compare this with the thousands
Of barrels of fruit that are now annually
sent to the markets of the east. But time
would fail me were to enumerate the
vast quantities of pears, peaches, grapes
and small fruits which come from the
western, southern, middle and Pacific
states to our great northern and eastern
cities. Some are present who can remem-
Der the time when there was not nursery
Of any note west of the Hudson river,
where, now, as from the great commercial
nurseries at Rochester, Geneva and other
western cities, there are annually sent out
millions of trees and plants to other sec
tons Of the Union. ~ 81 sla lsl.s. Ho
Although separated from its regular
connection in the address, this would
seem to be the proper place to insert
what Mr.. Wilder says with regard to
the useful labor performed by the society
in cataloguing the best fruits and rejecting
those which were deemed unworthy Of
propagation. g9I dHa agl5aa
s'Instead of the 81 varieties of fruit
recommended in 1913, this catalogue, now
contains the names Of 577 kinds, and with
the list of 625 rejected varieties passed upon
by the society, makes a total Of 1902 on
which the society has set its seal of ap-
proval or rejection. An important part of
this work, not shown by these figures, is
the reduction of our list as compared with
former catalogues, by striking out varieties
too good to be placed in our rejected list,
yet Superseded by better sorts. In pears
alone, this reduction has been from 122 to
81 kinds. And thus it should ever
be our aim to condense our list
into as small a number Of the varieties
as possible. When We consider that our
catalogue embraces in its columns fifty
states and territories, including the prov
inces of British America, with great diver
sites of soil and climate; that some Of
the new districts have but little experience
in fruit culture, and that from them We
have consequently but limited reports, we
can readily appreciate the difficulties at
tendant on this great work. 1t was an inn
portant step taken by the society
when 1t placed its mark Of condemnation
on the long list Of unworthy fruits which
were then in our collections, thereby saw
ing to cultiyators a vast amount of time,
trouble and expense in the propagation Of
useful varietes.n fg E BS9.
The address predicts still greater tri-
umphs in the genealogical science in such
enthusiastic language as this:
But who can even estimate the progress
of our art the importance OF this industry
to our nation? Whose prophetic eye can
survey the grand expanse which is to open
on our course during the next twenty-five
years? Ere that time shall have arrived,
much of the unoccupied territory of our
country. now greater in extent than that
of all our present states, will by the aid
OF our transcontinental railroads be opened
to cultivation, and Columbia river, Puget
sound, and the whole Pacific coast, with
its untold treasures, be united with US in
the great work of promoting the pomology |
OF this land. Give US twenty-five years
more, and from ocean to ocean, from the \
dominion to the Gulf, our hillsides shall
be clad with the vine, our great valleys
adorned with orchards and gardens, and
the fig, olive, orange of the South and Pa
cifc shores shall rival those Of exotic
growth. Give us twenty-five years more,
and our catalogue of fruits shall be filled
with native varieties, and dedicated to
American pomologists, who, by their labors
and benevolent efforts, have contributed to
the wealth of our country and the happi-
ness Of its people. y ~ .s5
- "a
stThat as fine fruits can be raised here
from seed as have been produced in any
other country there is no longer a doubt.
That this is the plan prescribed by our
bountiful Creator for their production and
Improvement, is equally true. That there
is any lirit to its progress and extent, We
have no reason to believe. True, the num-
Der Of superior fruits is small compared
with the host of Indifferent varieties that
have come down to us from the past. One
reason for this is that our taste for the finer
fruits have been cultivated to a higher stand
ard, and those of an indifferent or medium
quality fall out by the way /; and we have
no doubt that the old pears so highly laud-
ed by historians were most, if not all of
them, only coarse, unmelting kinds.n q
There are number Of practical matters
alluded to in the address, certain OF which
we present in President Wilder's we'll
chosen and concise language