The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-12-16
OHIO STATE HORTICULTURAL L.
SOCIETY.
annual Meeting at Ravenna.

which was held in the Uniyersalist Church in
this place on those days. The sunshine was
pleasant, the roads at their best, the cold not
excessive and the evenings brilliant with the
light of the moon. The people appreciated the
advantages and turned out in good numbers, the
church being comfortably filled during all of
Thursday and both evenings.
Wednesday forenoon given to the ar
rangementof fruits and vegetables for exhibit
tion, and the friendly meeting and greeting of
our home horticulturists and members OF the
State Society. who were arriving on every train
from all over the State.
The exhibition of fruits was said by those who
are accustomed to attend the meetings of the
Society to be one of the best ever made by it at
a winter meeting. About IS feet in length of
tables four feet wide, was covered with plates
OF apples, peaches. pears, grapes and ounces.
as close as they could be placed. The largest
collections were placed by j. R. Hurst of Chill
licothe. w. w. FarnsW orth. of Waterville. and
e. w, Counter of Toleko. A number of others
had smaller collections Frank Ford Son
showed 50 kinds of potatoes and a collection of
garden vegetables They also had on exhibition
an apple tree branch upon which had grown
and still hung specimens of Roxbury Russefs
and upon an adjoining twig specimens of Hgh'
green apples. without the least sign of the rus
when the apples were tasted and there was
found to be a great difference in texture and
flavor.
VIM. Stahl of Quincy. ILL.,. had on exhibition
four different spraying machines.
The first business session was called to order
att sop, m Wednesday. In the absence ofthe
President, the Vice President, o, w. Aldrich, OF
Columbus, presided. After appointing Com
mittees on order of business and membership,
the call was made for reports ofmembers OF the
ad interim committee and from county societies.
These reports, especially from the committee,
usually relate to the fruit crop of the last year
The reports, of which quite number were given
at this and following sessions. show that while
the May frosts did much damage, in some sec
tions almost entirely destroying the fruit crop,
the general crop was fully up to the demands
and usually sold at good prices ko1tgome y
Co, and vicinity was said to have had an I'M
mense yield of orchard crop, Bartlett pears of
fine quality selling in the Dayton market at 30
cents per bushel.
Mr.. Ellithorpe. of Ottawa Co.. described
machine to be used for grading. by which the
immense peach crop of Catawba Island is graded
into five different sizes. the smallest of which
are called culls. These latter in half bushel
baskets, with a piece of pink netting over
til en- " sold quite readily in 1891, at so cents
basket. AS an answer to the fear that the fruit
market would be overstocked. he said. +" When
we raised but few peaches saw woman Of
fer another bushcl of nice large peaches Jor
10 cents and the buyer thought the price too
high Now when we raise from 10000 to 900,
600 by Shells a year we find trouble to sell at
remunerative prices.'' The present outlook for
the coming year was generally reported as quite
favorable.
$50 names on the roll of members. He called
attention to the slowness of The State printer in
getting out the reports of the meetings. The re-
port of the last annual meeting has but recent
Iy been received. He hoped that some plan
might be devised to remedy this Hesnggested
the advisability of holding horticultural Insti-
tntes. Next followed lengthy and spirited
discussion on the Strawberry, the substance of
which we hope to give in the near future.
The evening session opened ,at7 O'Clock, the
President, Gee: n Campbell of Delaware in
the chair. In the absence of the Mayor, who
had been assigneG for this duty Rev Andrew
Wilson made the address of welcome He said
the State Horticultural Society had done a great
work in the 25 years of its life The people of
Ohio have been made richer in many ways
through its existence. 1t has a great work and
many opportunities before it. Its members
ability. and unless they continue its life will
be of little use. You come as the guest of
child. About year and a-halt after the late
of your last and. before this, yonr only meeting
here, the Portage Co Horticultural Society was
organized And in behalf OF that sotiety and
the citizens of Portage County, he extended q
hearty welcome.
Vice President o. W. Aldrich, in ponse
said that in behalf of the Society he thanked the
people heartily tor the cordial words of wei
come We are met tor advancing horticultural
interests and for educating yonr taste in the
beautiful and the good well as for any hnan-
eial benefit which you may reap from it We
do not come as strangers. Your County Society
has State wide : might almost say ma ional-
reputation. We come as members of the same
family. and hope our meeting may be for our
mutual good.
The President in his Annual Address which
followed. said. many changes, some of them
sad ones, have taken place since we last met
here IA years ago. We have come to report
progress and discuss measures and manners ia
horticulture. he reported at some length OF
his visit to w Washington, u. c., US delegate to
the American Pomological Society. Sept. 22nd
and read circular IRON the Department. Of
Agriculture. which requested State and loca!
societies to cooperate with the department in
anu Work, he sand
the 500 iety, through its members should be pre-
pared TO exhibit at the Columbian Exposition.
and believed the State would stand by us in this
work. He referred to the great loss sustained
by the Society in the death. Dec. 31st, 1880. OF
Leo W eltz, of Wilmington. a noted authority in
horticulture and landscape gardening.
Sec'y Farnsworth then read his report as del
egate to the American Pomological Society
n. I'll. Albaugh spoke on the subject, Our por
ton in the Columbian Exposition After tell
ing us in very pleasing manner. how a com
mittee OF three, OF which he was one had sue
ceeded in preventing the appointment a |
liquor dealer of California to be Commissioner
of Horticulture fer that Exposition. and saying |
that had he been appointed the horticultural |
interests would have been made secondary to |
the liquor interests. said that one j NJ Samuels |
had been appointed TO the position. and that he |
was believed to be good man for the place |
With the present outlook. he said, it behooves |
as to do onr part in making the horticultural |
exhibition what it should be Ohio being CEN
trail in position as well as in horticultural |
knowledge, is in position to make = grand |
showing. and should stand second to none in |
The land 1t is our portion' to get ready lor it
The balance OF the evening spent in u
general discussion on the Currant
Thursday morning discussion was had on
4he black gnat affecting cherry and plum trees
When tree becomes badly affected with this
disease it cannot be cured, and 1t should be cut
and burned Much GOOD be done and tree
often saved by cutting the knots as fast as they
appear and burning. Probably no variety of
plum is entirely free from its attacks. The
Morello is about the only cherry now affected
by it. A bill will be urged before the legisla-
ture to compel owners to destroy ali black knots
on their premises.
Papers were then read upon The Perfect
Potato, " by Frank Ford 1.-The Perfect Apple''
by Prof W. b. Lazenby OF Uhio State Univer-
sity and the Perfect Pear" by n. Dinner, of
Dayton. After the noon recess the president
read paper on " The Perfect Grape" These
excellent papers with the discussions which
them demand more than a passir no.
tice. and will be reported hereafter.
A biographical sketch Of Leo Weltz was read
by N. FL. Albaugh. ii
Prof. F. U. Webster gave the place of the
81 Silent Partners in horticulture to the para
sitic insects which prey upon otherwise des-