The preparations in progress indicate that the meeting at Grand Rapids, Michigan, commencing September 9th, will be one of the most successful in the history of the Society. President Wilder has recovered from his recent severe attack of rheumatism, and will probably be present. Michigan has appropriated $1000 to make proper preparations to receive the body, and Messrs. Garfield, Lyon, and Beall are making great efforts to render every thing inviting to visitors. Over twenty topics of leading interest have already been selected for discussion, and arrangements will be made to give all a fair chance to come off as per programme.

Pres. Wilder will show how great has been the influence the thirty-seven years of work of the Society on American fruit knowledge and fruit culture - and that the usefulness of the Society is for all this only a beginning to what it will be capable of doing in the future. The discussions will probably be opened by Mr. W. C. Barry on new fruits, and will be followed by Mr. P. Barry on nomenclature, and Dr. Hexamer will tell what has been the past and probably will be the future of the strawberry. If anybody knows what influence immediately pollen has on fruits, he will be there to tell all about it in open meeting. A large attendance is expected from all quarters, Boston probably sending fifteen representatives. These we understand will urge the meeting in 1887 to be held there, in view of the fact that Col. Wilder will then formally lay down the Presidency to some younger man, in case he should be again re-elected in Grand Rapids, and still be with us - both of which is the hope of every lover of Pomology.

Preparations are being made by the Michigan Pomologists to make the next meeting of this society, which is to be held in their State, one of the most successful on record.

We understand that at the meeting this year, use is to be made of the knowledge of the members present, by introducing especially topics for discussion, on which we have not yet arrived at final conclusions, and by means of which discussions we may get the advantage of the views of leading representatives. Among other topics Dr. Hexamer will introduce some one in connection with the strawberry. Mr. Barry on nomenclature. The influence of pollen on the growing fruit, will be a prominent subject. Professor Lazenby would be a good one to handle it. Special fruits for the North, the South, the West, will have a share of attention; the gain to Pomology by the New Orleans Exposition; progress in American grape culture; diseases of the peach; insect remedies; the best latitudes for the most profitable culture of the several fruits. These are samples of some of the topics it is proposed to introduce intelligently, and discuss freely. From all we can learn the meeting promises to be one of the most practically useful in the history of the Society.

Professor Beal writes: "The people of Michigan are making a good deal of stir about the American Pomological Society which is to hold a meeting at Grand Rapids, on the 9th, 10th, and nth of September. Every week brings some news from other States, showing their interest in the greatest meeting of the kind ever promised in the West. There will be a hall 100 x 100 feet, devoted to exhibits. The evening addresses will be held in the best opera house. One of these addresses is on Injurious Insects, by Prof. A. I. Cook, the other on Parasitic Fungi, by Dr. C. E. Bessey, of Nebraska. There can be no danger of crowding at the hotels, the rates of which will be low. There will be an opportunity after the meeting, for members interested, to visit several fruit regions of Michigan as well as the Agricultural College. The topics for discussions are selected with great care and are such as cannot fail to interest wide-awake pomologists. An unusually long list of able persons have promised to take part in the proceedings.

We expect to see you, Mr. Editor, and a large number from your city".

By the time some of our readers get this, this body will be in session at Grand Rapids, Mich., opening on the 9th, and continuing three days. We give the following programme so that those who cannot get there may note what a good time their more fortunate brothers and sisters are having :

Discussion of new fruits, Apples, Pears, Peaches, etc.. etc. W. C. Barry of N. Y., T. S. Hubbard of N. Y., W. C. Strong of Mass.

Proper Nomenclature of Fruits. J. J. Thomas of N. Y., P. Barry of N. Y., T. T. Lyon of Mich., Robert Manning of Mass.

Nomenclature of Russian Apples. Chas. Gibb of Quebec.

The Strawberry. F. M. Hexamer of N. Y.

The causes that produce colors in fruits and their design in nature. Jos. H. Bourn of R. I.

Influence of Pollen on the size, form, color, and flavor of fruits. C. M. Hovey of Mass., A. S. Fuller of N. J., Prof. W. R. Lazenby of Ohio, \Y. Crawford of Ohio.

American Grapes. T. V. Munson of Texas, J.

B. Moore of Mass., G. W. Campbell of Ohio. Small Fruits. Granville Cowing of Ind., C. A.

Green of N. Y., E. Williams of N. J.

Fruits of the Northeast. Dr. T. S. Hoskins of Vt.

Fruits of the North. D. W. Beadle of Ontario.

Fruits of the Northwest. Peter M. Gideon of Minn., Prof. J. L. Budd of Iowa.

Fruits of the South. P. J. Berckmans of Georgia, T. V. Munson of Texas, John Saul of District of Columbia.

Fruits of the Pacific Slope. Dr. J. Strentzel of California.

Lessons from the World's Exposition. L. A. Goodman of Mo., T. T. Lyon of Mich.

Relative value of Fruits for Canning and Drying in comparison with those for Dessert and Market. Josiah Hoopes of Penn.

Insects injurious to Fruits, and Remedies. Prof. Wm. Saunders of Ontario, Prof. C. V. Riley of District of Columbia, Prof. W. R. Lazenbv of Ohio.

Recent experiments with injurious fungi or diseases of plants, with remedies. Prof. T. J. Burrill of Illinois, Prof. J. C. Arthur of New York, Dr.

C. E. Bessey of Nebraska.

Distant shipment of Fruits, packing, and other arrangements to secure success and profit. Parker Earle of Illinois, G. C. Brackett of Kansas.

The best latitude for leading varieties of Apples for marketing. W. H. Ragan of Ind., C. E. Brown of N. S.

The best methods for preventing or protection from frost. Prof. W. R. Lazenby of Ohio, F. K. Phcenix of Wis.

The best methods of exhibiting fruits. R. W. Furnas of Neb., Prof. S. Tracy of Mo.

Needs and methods for gathering fruit statistics. Hon. W. I Chamberlain of Ohio.

Methods of conducting State and Local Horticultural Societies. Geo. Elwanger of N. Y., L. B. Pierce of Ohio.

Hard problems in Pomology, with hints looking towards improvements. J. J. Thomas of N. Y., Prof. J. L. Budd of Iowa, Judge G. W. Lawton of Mich.

Injurious Fungi and Diseases of Plants. A popular illustrated lecture on the evening of Sept. 9th. By Dr. C. E. Bessey of Nebraska.

Economic Entomology. A popular illustrated lecture on the evening of Sept. 10th. By Prof. A. J. Cook of Mich.

The closing exercises, on Friday evening of Sept. nth, will consist of many very short practical talks.

We learn as we go to press that the session at Grand Rapids was one of the most successful ever held by the society, and gives renewed evidence of long life and usefulness. Marshall P. Wilder was re-elected President; P, Barry, Vice President, and B. Smiih, Treasurer. Mr. C. Garfield was elected Secretary. There were 4,000 dishes of fruit. The essays and discussions were of a much higher order of interest than usual. Three of the original founders of the Society - Barry, Ellwanger, and Manning - were present. The next meeting will be held in Boston.

Address by Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, at the 20th Session of the American Pomological Society.

With the close of this meeting of our Association, thirty-seven years will have elapsed since its organization. Thanks to the goodness of an overruling Prov dence, it still lives to dispense its blessings on mankind. Long may it go on prospering and to prosper, while the earth bears a fruit, or man lives to cultivate it.

I have several times tendered my resignation as President, but the Society has as often declined to accept it, and has elected a special officer to occupy the chair when from any cause I might not be able to be present. This action I take to be an expression of feeling that I should still remain with you by official relation, not so much for what I can now do, as for a testimonial of regard for what I have done in the past. So believing, I have the pleasure to address you again.

Happy should I be if I could meet with you, to express personally our gratitude to the Michigan Horticultural Society for its cordial reception; and the ample accommodations it has provided for us; and most happy should I be to exchange congratulations on the continuance of our lives; to rejoice with you in the prosperity of our Association, and to concert measures for its usefulness in advancing the great work that has been committed to our charge; but as this cannot be, I console myself with the hope that you will accept the invitation of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and come to Boston in 1887, when I may be permitted to lay off the robes of office with which you have so long honored me, unless, ere that time, I. shall have been clothed with the robes of immortality, and gone up to gather celestial fruits, which ripen not in earthly climes.

The work which our Society assumed was great indeed - no less than to compare fruits, and opinions as to the value of the numerous varieties in cultivation; to assist in determining the synonymes by which they were known; to endeavor to abridge, by general consent, the long catalogue of indifferent or worthless sorts then propagated by nurserymen and cultivators; to furnish reliable information in regard to the varieties which succeed in our varied climates; to maintain a spirit of cordial intercourse with kindred institutions - in short, to extend and improve the culture of fruit throughout our land. Thus our Society became the herald and guardian of a new era in the progress of Pomology never before known in this or other lands. It was its mission to lead in this most beneficent work. Most faithfully has it executed this trust, embracing, as it now does in its organization, not only the States and Territories of our Union, but the British provinces on the North, all of which are represented in our institution, thus constituting, as it were, a Continental Association, working together harmoniously for the advancement of the Pomology of the American continent.

Most of those who stood as sponsors at the organization of our Society, have exchanged the cultivation of fruits for the culture of the soul in the better land, and we fondly trust are now partaking of those immortal fruits whose bloom was on earth, but whose harvest is eternal in heaven. The Downings, Brincklé, Prince, Buist, James, Ernst, Warder, Walker, French, Cabot, and our Secretaries, Vick, Elliott, and Flagg, have passed on, leaving bright examples of their interest in our Society and the objects it seeks to promote. But, while we thus speak, let us be thankful to the Giver of all Good that some of its founders, who rocked the cradle of its infancy, still live and stand as its god-fathers to this day to receive the thanks of grateful millions. Thomas, Parsons, Hovey, Ellwanger, Barry, Robert Manning, still live to help us carry on our noble work.