This section is from "The Horticulturist, And Journal Of Rural Art And Rural Taste", by P. Barry, A. J. Downing, J. Jay Smith, Peter B. Mead, F. W. Woodward, Henry T. Williams. Also available from Amazon: Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste.
The above mentioned Convention held its third annual session at Chicago, Ill., from the 4th to 7th last month (October.) Dr. Kennicott presided, and it was well attended. Some fifty contributions of fruit were exhibited, which were well grown - large in suze, very fair, and almost entirely free from blemish. I did not expect to find such fine specimens, and if the quality of winter fruits corresponds with the size, then the West and North, with portions of the South, can boast of as good as we grow at Rochester and hereabouts. Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and New York State?, with Iowa territory, were represented by a class of earnest and intelligent men, whose discussions, when published, will be found of value.
I took particular pains to learn the varieties of apples most esteemed, and quote those in their season:
Maiden's Blush, Fall Wine, Porter, Monarch, Rambo, Jersey Sweeting, Fameuse, Fall Pippin, St Lawrence, Hoss Apple, and Cooper.
Swaar, Esopus Spitzenburgh, Rawles' Janet, Jonathan, Baldwin, Newtown Pippin, Vandervere, Roxbury Russet, Pomme Grise, Yellow Bellflower, Winter Pearmain, Rhode Island Greening. Talman Sweeting, Belmont, Dominie, Black Detroit.
Having taken specimens for exchange, I brought some fine apples home with me, which have been universally admired. Specimens of the Northern Spy, grown by Loomis & Co., of South Bend, Ind., and Mr. Ewing, of Burlington, Iowa, compare favorably with the fine ones grown in our own region. The Wagener, also shown by Loomis & Co., was equal to ours in appearance. I have never seen so fine specimens of Rambo, and it being a favorite with me I and to have a quantity for trial: so also of the Rawles' Janet, which is the highly esteemed Ohio apple. Specimens of Coe's Golden Drop and Jefferson plums, with nectarines, and figs were upon the tables, rather out of season, but of large size. Large peaches of several varieties were shown from Iowa, but I did not taste them.
Being one of the committee on seedling apples I helped to examine over one hundred different specimens, and could not but regret that so few could be called of any value.
Pears of the Flemish Beauty, Duchesse d'Angouleme, Seckel, White Doyenne, or Virgalieu, and Steven's Genesee, and many foreign kinds were shown. They all appeared Well, except some White Doyenne, which were spotted and not as fair as those of Western New York.
I was well satisfied with my visit to this (to me) new country, and was surprised at the rapidity of its growth. Michigan produces fine fruits in some parts of the State, and at Detroit, at Hubbard & Davis's, and also at Mr. Adair's - both nurserymen - we found and ate as good President and Red Cheeked Malocoton peaches as we ever saw. The first named is one of the very best fall peaches. At Detroit are the celebrated Pear trees planted by the early French settlers, which have attained a large size. They bear plentifully a tolerably fair and early fruit, shaped much like the White Doyenne; and some grafted by Mr. Adair produced fine specimens, which carried off the premium at the Michigan State Fair this fall.
At Mr. A. E. Brush's private garden in Detroit, we were shown the first California grapes grown in Michigan. Mr. Angel, his gardener, was so kind as to allow us to test them, and gave us its history. The vine was planted in a large tub, and grown under glase; and in its appearance was much like the Sweet Water in its wood and leaf; but not hardy. Fruit colored like the Catawba, growing this season in clusters of a pound or more in weight, not compact, but straggling. It is very sweet, and without flavor very like the Sweet Water. I did wish it could have been a better fruit It is likely from the novelty of the thing to have a " run," and Mr. Adair had secured quite a number of cuttings.
We went into Mixen & Co.'s grounds, and although their gardener, Mr. Pugh, was suffering from the ague, he went to point out their Pear trees, which were looking well of one season's growth. A Vicar of Winkfield tree was showing splendid specimens of that variety. Such Vicars any one would be glad to put into cellars, barreled for winter days or evenings.
We felt that our friend Barry ought to have been at Chicago to meet so many who wanted to see the new editor, but I may be allowed to tell him that the Horticulturist stands high with the cultivators of fruit at the West I shall expect to see a large show of fruit at the next Convention to be held next year at Boston by the enterprising cultivators of the prairie world.
One word about the vegetable productions of Illinois. The sweet potato grows very large and of tolerable good quality, and some of them were enormous. Vegetable eggs and turnips, as well as cabbages and the common potatoes, do well. J. H. Watts. - Rochester, N. Y.
The Fall Exhibition of the Monroe Agricultural Society and Genesee Valley Horticultural Society combined, was held in Rochester on the first of October. The show of fruits was large and fine - one of the best we have ever seen here. Superb collections of apples were shown by Messrs. G. H. Cherry & Co., of Irondeqnoit; 0. J. Ryan & Co., Charles Powis, and John Donellan, of Greece; and Messrs. N. & E. S. Hayward, of Brighton. Mr. MoNab, gardener to John Greig, Esq., of Canandaigua, made a fine show of foreign grapes, both from the open ground and the vinery. H. P. Norton, Esq., contributed a small but beautiful collection of pears - some Glout Morceaus surpassed any thing of the kind we have seen. Beurr'e Diet, Gray Doyenne*, Henry IV., and Duchesse d'Angouleme were all remarkably large and fine. Austin Pinney, Esq, of Brockport, exhibited eight varieties of beautiful pears; H. G. Warner, Esq., of Rochester, a fine small collection. Levi A. Ward, Esq., a dish of extraordinary Sheldon pears, most of them, we should think, full three inches in diameter. James Vice, Jr., very large and beautifully colored Louise Bonne de Jersey, White Doyenne, Duchesse d'Angouleme, from trees but one year planted. Superb quinces were shown by C. F. Crosman, Charles Powis, Samuel Haight, and others.
 
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