The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-20
Mississippi Valley horticultural
Society.

A correspondent objected, recently, to
the forming of State Horticultural So
ciety in Vermont, because the fruit-grow-
ers of the state could not afford the ex-
pense. For lack of such society at
home the agricultural editor of this paper
is, merely to get their annual reports,
member of three state and two general
horticultural and genealogical societies,
one of which is the one above named, the
second report Of which is just at hand
for the year lSS4-promptly printed and
forwarded by the accomplished secretary,
w. H. Raglan, Esq, of Greencastle, In
diana. 1t is handsome octave volume
of nearly three hundred pages, embel-
lished, as frontispiece, by beautiful
prototype portrait Of the late DR.. John
A. Warder of Ohio, whose genealogical
writings and labors have conferred such
inestimable benefits upon the whole coun-
try, and especially upon the great West.
The contents of this volume are uni
formly of high excellence, being thor
oughly practical, and contributed by ex-
perts in their several specialties. The two
dollar fee for annual membership is a
small sum indeed to pay for the informa-
ton contained in the report alone, to say
nothing of other privileges attached to
the membership. The last meeting of
the society was held in Kansas City, Mis-
souri,, and was attended by large num-
Der of leading western horticulturists.
Colman's Rural World of st. Louis said
of the meeting: owe have, during the
last third of century, attended many
horticultural meetings, but never attended
so good one as that which was held at
Kansas City,"
Among the most valuable contributions
are paper on the Circulation of the Sap
by Professor Robson Of Kansas. This
paper would greatly interest our friend
Timothy Wheeler of Waterbury, VT, who
has studied the subject practically more
than most anybody in New England. Pro-
lessor Robson is not theorist, but prac-
teal horticulturist, who does not depend
upon books alone, or his own experience
alone, but makes use of all sources of in
formation that are within his reach. His
discussion of the question, Does the sap
descend ?" is very acute, yet not satisfac-
TOW 70 oil IN hao of xuh
able botanists. We think one of them,
DR.. T. V. Munson of Denison, Texas,
hit the nail when he said: The sap goes
where it is wanted in the economy of the
plant, let this be downward, upward, or to
one side, as the case may be-"
DR.. Munson himself read an interesting
paper on Trees Peculiar to Texas. The
flora of Texas is a very peculiar one, in
Guiding great number of species hardly
found outside the boundary of the state.
Among them are the Mesquite, or Gum
Arabic tree This tree is not large, being
often but scraggy shrub, but the roots
are immense and are used for fuel, burn
ing freely and giving an intense heat, even
while green. 1t is the chief fuel in the
grazing portion of the state. The tree
itself is a valuable addition to the pas
turage, producing bean-like fruit, greatly
relished, and fattening the stock rapidly.
The gum is quite equal to comm ercial
gum arabic. But the noblest of all the
Texas trees, and one of the most valued,
is the Pecan. This is species of hickory.
They are planted in orchards and grow
rapidly, trees fifteen years old yielding
from three to five bushels of nuts, which
sell at from thirteen to fifteen cents a