California

The California collection attracted perhaps the most interest. A great variety was displayed, and almost every specimen was remarkable for its superior quality. The fruit had been carefully packed by experienced hands, and was in excellent preservation. Apples, pears of mammoth size, figs, grapes, plums and oranges were on the table, but the grapes with their large luxuriant clusters far exceeded anything else of the kind on exhibition; the pears also were beautiful in color and size. This collection was in charge of Dr. Curtis.

Iowa

Seemed to win special admiration for her display of apples. These were represented by two exhibitors, Mark Miller of the Western Pomologist, at Dos Moines, and H. Leonard of Burlington, Iowa. Mr. Miller shows 118 varieties of apples, which attracted considerable interest, from the fact that they were raised in the vicinity of Des Moines, where, twenty-three years ago, not an apple tree of any kind was known. Mr. Leonard exhibits 115 varieties of apples and 85 of pears. All the fruit was in admirable condition, having been well packed and safely transported. It was the center of quite an enthusiastic crowd of admirers, who were free in their expression of praise of the beauty, size and color of the fruit.

From other sections, are the following : Ellwanger& Barry, of Rochester, N. Y., exhibited 150 varieties of apples.

Marshall P. Wilder, of Boston, shows 230 varieties of pears, a valuable collection raised on his own grounds.

The Pomona nurseries of Cinnaminson, N. J., Wm. Parry, proprietor, is represented by 26 varieties of pears and three of apples. This collection is very fine.

Minnesota

Is also well represented. The localities represented are Minneapolis, Winona, Lake City and Lake Crescent; P. A. Jewell, of Lake City is the exhibitor. He displays 50 varieties of apples, several of pears, three of native plums, and one lot of seedling grapes. His assortment of Siberian crab apples is probably the finest ever shown at a national exhibition. Some of these apples are of the finest flavor, notwithstanding the proverbial bitterness of their species.

Washington, D. C

John Saul, of Washington, representing the Potomac Fruit-Growers' Association, sends an attractive assortment of apples and pears.

The Agricultural Department of the United States Government contributes fine specimens of pears and wine grapes.

Virginia

The largest number of contributions are from Virginia. Much the finest display of pears was made by G. F. B. Leighton, of Norfolk, Va. Their unusual size and fine flavor were the occasion of considerable attention. Quite a number of them averaged neatly a pound each. The varieties most successful with Mr. Leighton are Duchesse, Seckel, Bartlett, Louise Bonne, Beurre Diel and Beurre Superfine.

Capt. H. B. Jones, the veteran pomologist of Rockbridge county, is on hand with his usual fine display of fruit, raised in his own orchards. Ho exhibits this year 110 varieties of apples, including 14 native seedlings ; 11 of pears, 8 of grapes, and 10 of peaches.

Franklin Davis & Co., of Richmond, have of apples, 100 varieties; of pears, 25; of peaches, 15; besides several kinds of grapes.

H. B. Robey, of Fredericksburg, three varieties of grapes, 23 of apples, and 22 of pears. Pretty assortment.

Wm. O. Hurt, of Bedford county, 51 varieties of native apples - making a most creditable display.

H. C. Williams, of Fairfax, six varieties of pears, 36 of apples, and six of new native grapes.

Giliingham & Co., of Accotink, Va., display a fine lot of apples and pears.

Albemarle county sends a splendid assortment of apples, exhibited by Tyree Doi-lins & Bro., of Batesville. They have catalogued 200 varieties, many of which are superior native seedlings.

The Virginia Nursery and Wine Company (Allan & Johnson, general agents), show eleven bottles of Virginia wines, including samples each of Norfolk, Herre-mont and Concord, and one each of Clinton, Catawba and To Kalon.

We have not space for enumeration of all the exhibitors, but the display from Virginia was most creditable, and establishes beyond conjecture or doubt, that the State is worthily pre-eminent in her advantages for fruit culture.

The proceedings were pleasantly varied during the stay of the members at Rich-mond, by an excursion to Dutch Gap on one of the James river steamers, also a reception by the Mayor of the city, and speeches of welcome with appropriate responses.

Assembly Hall was tastefully decorated, and when the Society was dissolved, it was admitted by mutual consent to be the most enjoyable session held since its organization.

The next Biennial meeting will be held at Boston, in the Fall of 1873, when the 25th, or silver wedding anniversary will be honored with a greater display of fruit than ever. The same officers were re-elected for the next session.

Suggestions For Improvement Of The Influence Of The Society

Several members have expressed to us a kindly, yet firm, disapproval of the manner of the literary exercises of the meetings of the society. For instance -

1st

Too much time is wasted in mere preliminaries of business organization, etc. Sometimes an entire day is spent, and even then matters are left unfinished.

2nd

The revision of the fruit lists needs an entire change of management. At present some person of careless or irresponsible judgment, may either undo completely the work of three or six careful pomologists, who have previously recorded their careful observations, or he may unduly praise some varieties which have no success beyond his own vineyard or orchard. Some of the members do not appear to understand the system of starring, and will often double star a variety which does not deserve it.

3d

The revision of the fruit lists is done in too great a hurry, and is at the best a dry, unsatisfactory method of passing the time. Often more time is spent upon one section than should be, and the close of the session comes so suddenly that many other important departments are omitted entirely. For instance, at the Philadelphia meeting in 1869, the department of apples was first dwelt upon and completely, but when pears were reached it was necessary to hurry through it rapidly; and, finally, grapes, apricots, peaches, plums, etc., went without solitary discussion. And although the greatest interest was manifested in small fruits, yet it was completely shoved to one side. Some of the members then and there suggested that time ought to be devoted to culture, propagation, insects, markets, profits, etc., but everything of this nature was also put aside, only to permit the dry formality of starring the list to be gone through with.

4th

We are reminded of the remark of a friend in New York, who, when asked to join a new rural association, said: "Don't kill your society with a constitution and by-laws." And we remind the members of the American Pomological Society that it will be the same with them unless they permit freedom of discussion on such topics as fruit-growers are most interested in. The mere formalities of revision of the fruit list, and the waste of a day's tune in preparing for work, are not what pomologists and fruit-growers want. Solid food is necessary, besides the pleasure of reunion.

5th

We propose that at the next meeting of the Society slips of the fruit list be printed and handed around to all the members to correct, and, after endorsing his name thereon, to return to the secretary; and that no change in the fruit list be made unless there are three signatures in approval of any single variety. Lei the time of the association be devoted to free discussion of varieties, pruning, soil, insects, markets, profits, etc., with practical essays on fruit subjects, culture, etc, and remarks thereon.

6th

Such an association as the American Pomoiogical Society should exert an influence for good, and disseminate good, useful information. But we have watched the reports in the papers for the past few years, and beyond the report of the fruit placed on exhibition, or the description of the united enjoyment of friends who had met again after a long absence, we have yet to see a single good idea developed, and quoted to the vast body of fruit-growers outside, who were waiting for something tangible and practical which would help them in the management of their orchards. Not a single item can we trace, and the contrast is greater since so much was expected.

7th

We commend to the American Pomoiogical Society the method of manage-ment of the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers' Association, or the Western New York Horticultural Society. A visitor to their discussions is always entertained, good essays are always read, and each person goes away again, feeling he has gained some really useful ideas which would pay him for his time.

We speak without censure in these remarks, for we wish the American Pomo-logical Society to develop into a royal institution, but its devotion to the fruit list and matters of business organization, to the exclusion of modes of culture, will surely injure its opportunity for good, unless they are judiciously arranged in some other way.

Pomologists are searching now for something practical and useful, and must and will have on such occasions some sensible remarks upon culture, propagation, etc.

The interest in small fruits also has become of late a national department of itself, and should not be ignored. There are many new varieties of pears, yet we can gain more information about them from the horticultural literature of the day than from the volumes of the American Pomological Society. To be valuable, these volumes should be complete and accurate, but, outside the members, not one hundred copies find their way into the hands of the practical cultivators of the country. There is very little demand for them, not even as much as for the annual volume of the Illinois State Horticultural Society, which we have always esteemed a credit of worthy honor to the State and Society.

The fruit exhibitions of the Society are pleasant to see, and are silent exponents of our success in fruit culture, but we have yet to find that any of the exhibitors of the fruit have had a fair opportunity to say a word about success in their culture and which varieties can be most commanded to beginners.

These suggestions are merely offered in candor, to show that we expect a great deal from these reunions of the Society. If our highest pomological congress is intended to be only an occasion for united good feeling and enjoyment, and without any literary character, then our suggestions have no place, for we require nothing when nothing is expected. But the public look to the Society for some really valuable information, and we are anxious that it should reach the mark in its objects and opportunities of doing good. In its next meeting let us have less of business and fruit list, and more of common sense remarks on fruit culture as it is.