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.
Professor "Terra-Culture" Comstock thought, or pretended to think, that he made a great discovery in the art of culture, and modestly demanded from the State, or the nation several thousands of dollars, as a reward. For a long time he made himself and every one he met unhappy about it, until at length the New York State Agricultural Society appointed a committee to examine into the thing. We do not know that the committee reported, but we know that the chairman of it regarded the whole matter as sheer nonsense; - and so it was. The State would do nothing for the Professor, and bo he took to lecturing; and the last we heard of him, he was in Wisconsin. Poor Comstook 1 people hereabout said he was mad; and it may be he was, and is.
Our friend Isaac HildReth, formerly of Geneva, but who now hails from a romantiC spot on Seneca Lake called "Big Stream Point" has also made a discovery, he says, and we do not doubt it, for he is a genius, and has always been discovering something during the last ten or twelve years that we have known him. We have been advised by the following circular:
"I have made an important discovery in growing Pear and Plam stocks, by which method all nursery-men may grow their own stocks from seed, without risk of failure from the effects of leaf-blight I am willing, and propose to impart this important secret to those who wish to avail themselves of the benefit of this discovery. Should yon think proper, I will give you the details, on the promise from you of ten dollars; payable when the matter is successfully proved by practicable demonstration, one year from this date. L Hildreth. - Big Stream Point, N. Y".
Now this is a very reasonable and modest announcement, more so than any of the sort we have seen. A very little information on the subject of growing seedlings would be worth $10, and HildReth, we are told, has succeeded remarkably well. But if we were in his place, we would grow the stocks and sell them, instead of selling a secret which may turn out to be no secret at all.
 
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