in my grounds, many of the trees being sixteen and eighteen years planted, while some, of the later importations, are small. One thing is fully demonstrated, viz., that these apples are, as a class, very much hardier against adverse climatic influences and especially against winter's cold, than those previously grown on this continent. This alone gives them enormous value for the 'cold north,' where, without them, tree-fruit culture would be impossible. In productiveness, size and beauty of fruit, the Russian apples are, on the average, more than a match for those of Western Europe, and for our native seedlings thence derived. Those who have an extensive acqaintance with Russian apples know that there is among them quite as large a proportion which deserve to rank as of dessert quality as there is among the common sorts. Among these fine dessert apples the Yellow Transparent, Grand Sultan, Switzer, Charlottenthaler, Berkoff, St. Peter, Longfield, Golden White, Streaked Red, Summer Calville, Noble Redstreak, Russian Gravenstein, Red Anis, Titovka, White Russet, and several others have now been sufficiently tested to establish the fact of their excellent eating quality, joined, in most of them, with great beauty of form and color."

HYBRID VARIETIES.

Much has been said in favor of the propagation of crabs and hybrid stock; they are admired by some for hardiness, productiveness and thrift in growth of tree. But there are certain reasons why their cultivation largely in our soil and climate should not be strongly urged. Transcendent, Early Strawberry, Orange, and a few other kinds, do fairly well as orchard trees in some locations. In this connection we may cite the experience of Prof. Budd who states that he gathered on the Collage Farm some sixty varieties of crabs and crab hybrids, six years ago, and the most promising of these were sent out for trial; that only six or seven of this number now are left, similarity of size and quality, and their pecular tendency to blight having consigned them one after another to the brush pile. Of the number left he mentions Sarnia, Gibb and Boone, and states that Whitney's No. 20, Wealthy, Wealthy Seedling and Telfer Sweet, called hybrids, are excellent fruit, but show no trace or crab in leaf, bud or fruit.

THE PRESERVATION OF OUR FORESTS

would seem to be a question worthy of consideration, in view of cyclones, storms and floods which have to some extent prevailed

in certain sections of our land, and which have doubtless been occasioned, more or less, by the depletion in our timber and forestry supplies. The area of our wooded lands is steadily decreasing year by year, and as a consequence important changes have been wrought both in our soil and climate. This feature is not characteristic simply of this State, for we in fact are much less subject here to heavy storms than certain sections further south and east, and yet the ill effects of constant thinning out our forest trees are readily observable by all.

While visiting the eastern portion of New York, last fall, this matter was most forcibly impressed upon our mind. Marked indications were everywhere presented of the disastrous evils consequent on this pernicious practice of deforestation. The lumbermen have largely cleared the timber in the wooded districts of that state, and consequently springs and streams are drying up. The water of the Hudson, at Albany, has been effected and made so low as seriously to interfere with navigation. The number and extent of floods, as well as frightful storms, is yearly on the increase.

In view of facts so readily to be observed why should there not be prompt as well as proper action taken upon the part of state and national legislators to remedy to some extent, if possible, this crying evil, and bring about some wholesome change? It might be well for us more carefully to note the time and bring to bear our influence so far as possible, in order to secure the better and more general observance of Arbor day. The young especially should be encouraged to plant out trees of various kinds.

THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

At the request of the president and members of executive committee of our Society, we attended the meeting of the American Horticultural Society, at Cleveland, Ohio, being present the last two days of the session, which began Sept. 7, 1886, and continued four days.

This society was organized eight years ago, under the name of the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society. At the session held during the exposition at New Orleans the name was changed to the more comprehensive one of the American Society.

The meeting was held first at rooms of the board of trade, afterwards at the tabernacle on Ontario street. The capacious

hall was elaborately decorated with evergreens, plants, ferns and flowers. The ample tables, arranged in the form of a hollow square, were well laden with a remarkably fine exhibit of fruits, including numerous varieties of grapes, over forty varieties of pears, many varieties of apples and peaches, thirty varieties of plums of every color, etc., Mr. Cushman of Euclid, exhibited fifty varieties of grapes, and Mr. Hubbard of Fredonia, N. Y., a new seedling showing twenty-five large bunches of white grapes on three feet of wood. Seventy-five varieties of apples were exhibited by a local society, and one fine exhibit from Mississippi included twenty-nine varieties of apples, besides several varieties of pears.

About half

There was not a large attendance of delegates owing to the fact that railway managers refused to make any reduction in rates of fare and members of the society being detained at fairs and other gatherings held at about the same time. the states were represented, however, quite a number of the leading horticulturists of the country being present; the larger portion of those in attendance represented local horticultural societies, and citizens of Cleveland. Ontario, Canada, had a representative, and one delegate from Japan was present. For want of space we can give only a brief outline of the proceedings, as gleaned from notes taken and from newspaper reports of the meetings.

President Parker Earle presided at all the meetings with his usual ability and grace. Secretary Ragan presented the financial status of the Society, which showed a balance of $173.12 on the right side. He then read a paper on "The past, present and future of grape culture in California," by Geo. Husmann, of that state.. He thinks California is pre-eminently the horticultural state of the Union, as fruits of the temperate zone flourish side by side with those of the tropics. From an experience of five years there he gives a brief outline of grape culture in that state since 1874, when the Mission Grape was the only variety known there. Now he says they have nearly four hundred sorts, and expect to produce 20,000,000 gallons of wine this year, equal in quality to any on the globe. "Our raisins are competing with the finest London 'layers;' our table grapes go to every city in the Union. We have the best climate under the sun to produce a perfect product; have learned all about location, soil, varieties; can handle the product better, have fewer diseases, and we can furnish the world with better and cheaper wines, raisins, table

grapes and brandies than any other country, while our area for successful production is larger than that of France. Good grape land is worth $50 to $100 per acre, and can be brought to bear for $100 per acre more. Then five tons of grapes per acre, at $20 per ton, at $20 per acre for cultivation annually.

A discussion of the paper and varieties in general followed. Mr. Green, New York, saw how cheap Chinese labor enabled California growers to compete with producers of the East, notwithstanding high freights. Mr. Miller, Penn., thought Worden superior to Concord, from one year's trial. He asked Mr. Hubbard concerning a tendency to drop from the stem. Mr. Hubbard said all reports were to the contrary. He had visited the original vine on Mr. Worden's place, which had produced one hundred and ten pounds of grapes annually for three years past. The present crop was the finest he ever saw. Worden is larger, handsomer than Concord, a week to ten days earlier; quality of a first-class Concord; no rot. Mr. Hollister, Mo., reported a very short grape crop in that state, fruit rotting badly. He condemned the practice of selling unripe grapes to get high prices early. Dr. McKay, Miss., said it was a poor grape year there. Concord did best, and was generally regarded as the safest to plant between the 30° and 35° of latitude. Scuppernong never failed, but was not good for market. Excessive rains for thirty days had caused much rot. Mr. Miller had found sulphate of iron a preventive of rot. Mr. Lindsay, N. C., spoke of the increase of grape culture in his state. The eastern section is the home of the Scuppernong, one vine often covering three acres. Seventyfive varieties bunch grapes grown in the middle section, where the finest grapes in the country are raised. Ives and Champion pay best. We call Worden the best black grape. Deman, Kan., reports a good grape crop. He had visited many vineyards in Texas and Arkansas, and found fair crops in spite of the drought. He alluded to the noble work of Mr. Munson, of Texas, who is sowing seeds of wildings, and crossing seedlings with the best cultivated sorts. Some wild bunches there are one foot long, and the grapes are fine.

Mr. Van

Mr. G. W. Campbell, Ohio, said: "In Central Ohio, this is the best grape season since 1849. Early and late sorts are ripening near together. I was one of the first to raise Worden in Ohio. It is larger then Concord, juicier, ripens earlier, but it has all the faults of that kind- a tender skin, a poor shipper." Mr. Carpenter, Ohio, thought high culture gave better grapes

and prevented rot. Mr. Te Mari, of Japan, who since the World's Exposition has been studying American horticulture at Lansing, Mich., and other points, then made a few remarks. His people are beginning to grow American grapes. "We had no wine until our country was opened; the Chinese had raised wine grapes for many years. Now we shall have wine, too. There are only two varieties of native grapes in my country. We live so much on vegetable food, eating grapes at table was never thought of."

PRESIDENT EARLE'S ADDRESS.

At the evening session Mayor Gardner delivered an address of welcome which was responded to in a graceful manner on behalf of the society by President Earle, who then proceeded to deliver his annual address. This was an excellent, comprehensive and practical paper, covering the whole field of horticulture. He said the society was organized to meet the wants of the fruit growers, gardeners, forest growers and lovers of rural art in the states of the Missisippi Valley. We have been asked to extend our territorial limits and to embrace all of the horticultural interests of the continent, from ocean to ocean. After much deliberation this was done at our meeting in New Orleans, so that we are now in name as we had been for years before in membership and in the spirit of our work, an American society.

There was scarcely a state in the Union whose industrial developement, whose entire civilization did not show the deep imprint of organized horticultural activity. It is seen in bending orchards, in burdened vineyards, and in fruitful gardens. It hangs banners in every part of town or city, and sings pæans in groves and forests planted by man or saved from the woodman's axe. It babbles in fountains built and in brooks preserved, and its beauty shines on 10,000 green and shaded lawns, and in every window where flowers bloom and vines clamber. If you could take out the influence of horticulture from the structure of our civilization, you would have left a system of bare walls, hard farms, and coarse living, in whose presence we should be strangers as in an unknown world.

Horticulture in its larger definition covered a large field. There is an æsthetic and an economic side to it, and he could not tell which had developed most in late years. Horticulture co-operates with education, religion, and moral culture. All