The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-02-20
SECOND DAY
OF THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURIsTs'
CONVENTION IN THIS
CITY.
After Twenty-Five Years of Faithful
Service, Secretary Reagan Ten
ders His Resignation.

The American Horticultural asso,
citation assembled at the appointed
hour yesterday, Mr.. j. G. Evans pre-,
siding.
Mr.. w. H. Reagan, the secretary Of
the association, read an account OF
his stewardship and the progress OF
the society. He had been secretary
for a number of years, attending the
sessions in New Orleans, Kansas City
and other places, and had Travelled
10000 miles in the course of his du-
ties and had published five volumes Of
the proceedings of the association
and distributed 5000 copies.
The membership had increased till
there were now 703 members in active
work, the members living everywhere
in the States except in Montana, and
in all the Territories except Alaska,
New Mexico and the Indian
Territory. His duties had been
a work of love and not for the
sake of compensation. All he had
received in the way of salary and do
nations was 81 ,010. He rendered his
resignation, not for want of continued
interest in the association, but, hay
ing served for twenty-one years, he
felt that he had done his share of the
good work and felt disposed to resign
the trust.
The report was referred to the au
diting committee.
In the regular order of business Mr..
N. Dinner, of Ohio, introduced and
read an interesting and instructive
paper giving his practical experience
and reciting "What he knew of pear
culture" He had abandoned the cul-
ture of some species as being UNI
profitable on account of smallness
and other reasons-size and beauty
something to attract the eye rather
than the palate-seemed to take in
the market. He gave preference to
the Bartlett species rs the most profit
able. Then came the Duchess, Flem-
ish beauty and some others which he
named. He never used commercial
fertilizers and manures. 1t might be
that his own experience, however,
would not answer in difficult eli
mates and soils and in all sections of
the country. He sold his fruit to
the best bidder buying in large quanti-
ties, the bids being known only to
himself. He never had any blight in
his pears.
The paper was discussed in an in
terrogatory way by Messrs. Faulkner
of Waco, Mr.. Stoner of Louisiana and
others.
Mr.. Onderdonk said he had never
had any blight in his pears.
Mr.. Stoner said he had grown pairs
in North Louisiana for fifteen years.
He found that sending them green to
market would not pay. So he gath
cred them mellowed in dark, warm
places. The Howell he found prefer
able to the Bartlett on account of its
easier mellowing.
Prof. Smith said that according to
his experience the blight was the
great trouble with pears in Indiana.
Prof. Brunk asked Mr.. Dinner if he
had tried the Keller pear.
Mr.. Dinner said he had not, but
he had seen them and if he planted
any more trees would plant some of
them.
Mr.. Campbell said he had known
them grown on their own roots in his
State. He did not believe it would do
we'll in Ohio, or very cold climates.
Another gentleman said it was
generally grown from its own roots in
Georgia.
Secretary Reagan read an invitation
from citizens of San Antonio stating
that the association "would find it the
largest city in Texas"
Mr.. II. M. Stringfellow of Hitch
cock, Galveston county, gave his ex-
perience. He set out two hundred
trees and used fertilizers and had Z
year-olds producing 10 bushels to the
tree. He argued that the decaying
grass was serviceable rs fertilizer.
He stopped fertilizing to increase
fruitage, if the trees growth was too
rank-He favored using dry sulphur
for packing pears for shipment. He
gave good account Of the Keifler for
Texas raising and for shipping, canned
or uncanned. There was money in
the Keifiers.
Mr.. Bell OF Missouri had found the
Keiilers of poor account, despite the
most careful attention on his part.
Professor Fernow of Washington
City argued that the difference in
success in raising pears was owing
more to different methods of soiling
and watering etc, rather than to
natural defects in the fruit.
Mr.. Thompson of Georgia argued |
that the LeConte was good species
if picked in due season when they
were firm and in good condition for
shipping. He shipped early when the
pears were still green. He gathered |
them when they were of good size.
Mr.. Munson said the pear blight
had always been a subject OF discus
sion without reaching any definite
conclusion. 1t had been shewn by
Profs. Beryl and Arthur that the
blight was from some animalcular in
oculation and termination. The
remedy was to keep The trees in good