NEW EARLY PEACHES IN OHIO.

In spite of the failures of the peach crop, and losses of trees by the winters in many parts of the State, I learn that a good deal of fresh planting is to be done this spring in some localities, chiefly in the lake shore region, where the crop of the past season was profitable and there is promise of fruit this year. I am told that late yellow varieties, like Crawford's Late and Smock, will be most largely planted, but I am asked to state whether enough is known about the conduct of the new early sorts in this State to make it advisable for any one to plant them for market purposes. The answer to this question must depend on circumstances.

The well known Hale's Early originated in northeastern Ohio, about fifteen years ago, and was found to ripen full ten days earlier than any other of good size and quality, where the soil and location suited it; but in many situations it has proven quite unprofitable, owing to the tendency of the fruit to rot just at ripening time, and in general it is too perishable for distant transportation. For near market, and especially for home use, the Hale's Early was a valuable acquisition to all who could give it suitable soil-as it added ten days to the peach season.

Now, within the past five or six years there have been introduced to notice a dozen or more new seedling peaches, all of them ripening earlier than Hale's, and all known or supposed to be seedlings of that variety. In regard to their adaptedness to the climate of Ohio, there is need of further observation. There is also need of caution in the matters of soil and market, as all these varieties so evidently partake of the characteristics of Hale as to make it quite probable the fruit will show the same tendency to rot, when the trees have been in bearing a few years. But those who have good success with the Hale may safely venture to plant freely these new varieties.

Amsden's June and Alexander are the two best known of the new seedlings of the Hale. The first originated in Missouri and the other in southern Illinois, and both are said to ripen two weeks earlier than Hale; which may be true in their southern climate, but here in northern Ohio, last season, the first time of their fruiting, they ripened just about ten days earlier than Hale, all on light, sandy soil. In size and quality the three are much alike—if anything, the Amsden and Alexander are more highly colored than the Hale, but possibly the trees being young and bearing but few specimens, made some difference. The two kinds are so much alike, in time of ripening and all other respects, as to cause many people to doubt their being distinct. To test the matter, Mr. Downing set buds of both on different limbs of the same tree, and watched their growth and fruiting. He found them ripen so nearly together, and so closely resemble each other as to be practically alike, and yet there is such difference in the leaves as convinces him they were of different origin. Others think they have observed other differences, and between the two the majority seem to give the preference to Alexander. I believe that either of them will be found a valuable acquisition in all situations where the Hale does well; but where that rots badly I would not plant any of this class excepting a tree or two for experiment.

Honeywell is the first on the list of Ohio seedlings that ripen earlier than Hale. This riginated in northern Ohio five or six years ago, and the stock was bought by nurserymen of New Jersey who advertise trees for sale. I have not seen the fruit, but those who have done so assure me it is equal in size and quality to Hale's Early, and about ten days earlier.

Davidson is the name of a new and remarkable seedling peach, originating at this place-Painesville. It has fruited two seasons, and ripens here full one week ahead of

Alexander, and two weeks ahead of Hale, on the same locality, which is a clayey ridge. I think it was two weeks ahead of my sand-ridge Hales. In size, the fruit is full medium, perhaps a little below Hale's, but of a deeper red color, rendering it quite attractive and saleable. Texture and quality about like Hale, but seems to bear transportation better. Mr. Davidson will have trees for sale before next fall; in the meantime it is hoped there will be a crop of the fruit this season, and specimens will be sent to the various societies for comparison.

Allen is another new seedling produced in this county, by A. T. Allen, of Willoughby. It has fruited two or three seasons, and always a full week or more ahead of Hale's. Specimens presented me last season were ten days ahead of my earliest Hales, and equal to them in size, color, and quality. I should rank it almost equal to Alexander in earliness and all other respects, with the advantage of being native to our soil and climate. Trees of this variety will be for sale by one of our nurserymen next fall, and if there is fruit this season it will be noticed with the others.

With the Allen, Davidson, Honeywell and Hale, all originating in northern Ohio, in my opinion little gain will result from sending to other States for early varieties of, peaches; and Ohio will have the credit of originating the largest number of new and valuable fruits of this class.

Downing, Wilder, and Saunders are the names of three new seedling peaches produced by H. M. Engle & Son, of Marietta, Pa., who are reliable nurserymen, and assert that all three are ten to fifteen days earlier than Hale's, and of finer color and quality. Let us hope they may be exhibited the coming season in competition with our Ohio early seedlings-and the next following also.

The Waterloo is a new and remarkably early peach, originating at Waterloo, N. Y., and propagated by Ellwanger & Barry, of Rochester, who say it ripens about a week earlier than Alexander and Amsden, and is of larger size than any of the very early varieties, some of the specimens measuring ten inches each in circumference, and of fine appearance. Texture and quality similar to Hale, Amsden, etc. Now let us have, next July, a competitive show of early peaches from Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania. Who seconds the motion? M. B. B.

The following resolution was unanimously adopted by the Ohio State Horticultural Society:

Resolved, That the thanks of the Ohio Horticultural Society are due to the Stark County Horticultural Society for their cordial reception and courteous attention, and to the citizens of Canton, who have, by their presence, contributed much to the interest and pleasure of our meetings. Also, to the proprietors of the St. Cloud hotel, who have so well and so reasonably attended to the comfort of the members who have been their guests on this occasion. We would also render our grateful acknowledgments to the delegates from sister societies who have favored us with their presence and valuable assistance in our discussions and deliberations.

MEMORIAL.

THE LATE SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY.

[From the Rural New Yorker of August 28.]

M. B. Bateham died, after a lingering illness, at his home in Painesville, Ohio, August 5th, 1880. Long, quite intimately associated together for the advancement of agriculture in our adopted State, the elder is now left to lament the departure of his younger yoke-fellow.

Born among the fruitful gardens of smiling Kent, England, on September 13, 1813, with garden associations and surroundings, it was but natural that when his father migrated to the valley of the Genesee in 1825, and established a market garden at Rochester, New York, the younger Bateham, then 12 years of age, should become imbued with a taste for horticulture that has been the guiding impulse of his life-work. His frequent visits to Rochester in later years, since it has become so famous a horticultural center, must have been very gratifying to our friend, who would there see the abundant fruitage of the good seed he himself had helped to sow in the earlier half of this century.

From the garden the transition was easy and natural to the seed-store, and so we find him as a seedsman in 1833. His qualifications as a writer were soon called into requisition, and for five years he was editor of the Genesee Farmer, for a long time the leading agricultural paper, even while the fertile valley was recognized as the Great West, a term which has been widely separated from the Genesee in the later years by the westward march of empire.

Mr Bateham's taste naturally brought him into contact with such men as Elwanger & Barry, and he spent some time in their extensive nurseries, which afforded him a fine opportunity of becoming familiarly acquainted with fruits, and encouraged his love for pomology. After an extensive western tour, chiefly on horseback, and partly undertaken in pursuit of health, Mr. Bateham settled in Columbus in 1845, and has ever since been a citizen of Ohio. There, in the first year of his residence, he established the Ohio Cultivator, one of the first agricultural papers printed in the State. In it he found a good medium for imparting much valuable information, and a means of communication with others interested in rural affairs. His articles on insects and grasses were among the first papers upon those topics that were spread before the farmers of Ohio. In its pages he called upon the fruit-growers and nurserymen to assemble in convention and compare notes and fruits, and from this beginning in 1847 has grown up the State Horticultural Society of to-day-a fitting monument to the memory of its originator. From its

early organization Mr. Bateham has been its untiring Secretary, always declining proffers of what some might consider the high post of honor as presiding officer. To do, was his choice, and so he preferred to wield the pen to the gavel. Indeed, it is the mightier implement of the two, and in his hands it was fully and faithfully employed in the diffusion of valuable information among his fellow-men.

In 1846, the Ohio State Board of Agriculture was organized, and at the first annual meeting, held December 9, 1846, Mr. Bateham was one of those duly elected to serve as a member. At this meeting we find him advocating and urging the establishment of a Department of Agriculture by the General Government at Washington, D. C.

At the annual meeting, held December 6, 1848, our friend, then Secretary, was again elected for two years and again chosen secretary of the Board.

In 155, the Ohio Cultivator was sold, and became the Ohio Farmer. This relieved Mr. Bateham from a heavy burden, and left him free to pursue his horticultural bent. The little nursery which had already been the means of disseminating quantities of choice fruits and plants, was largely increased in size and usefulness by the establishment of the Columbus nurseries, with which Mr. Bateham continued to be connected until he sold his interest in 1864, when he removed to the pleasant little city of Painesville, where he established a happy home and fruit garden. Before leaving Columbus, he had planted very extensive orchards, the first venture of the kind in the State, embracing many thousands of fruit trees of different sorts.

It has been especially as a writer on horticultural and agricultural topics that Mr. Bateham has left his mark in Ohio, and this will be more and more fully realized as the years roll by. At his funeral, Mr. Chamberlain, Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, truly said: "Not an orchard or a grain-field in Ohio but has felt the influence of his labors for the improvement in varieties cultivated, and for improvement in the modes of culture."

As Secretary of the Ohio State Horticultural Society, which was like his own offspring, he was a most untiring officer, ever watchful of its interests, and ever willing, as a member of the ad interim committee, to visit other associations of like character in our own and distant States. Whatever he learnt from such visits--from consultation with others as well as from personal observation-be shared at once with the public at large by means of his ready pen and the liberal space always accorded his articles in the agricultural press. So ardent was his desire of benefiting others by his study, that during the sickness which has just terminated fatally, several contributions from him were published in the Rural New Yorker and other papers.

In the family, in the church, and in the community about him, our friend always endeavored to discharge every duty faithfully, and he leaves behind him a record of love, devotion, and uprightness that is entirely praiseworthy.

His labors for others have now closed; he has gone from the cares of his earthly pilgrimage to the regions of bliss, promised and prepared, as we are assured by our Savior, for those that love and serve Him. May our end be like his, peaceful and happy.

The following expressions were made at the Columbus meeting of the Society, held on Wednesday, September 1, 1880:

The President said:

MY FRIENDS: We have lost our Secretary. Alas, how many of us here present must now grieve that we have lost a friend. The State of his adoption has lost a valuable

citizen, and the Nation a man whose useful labors are widely known and highly appreciated. The agricultural press of the country has lost a useful and laborious contributor, whose writings were always welcomed. As agriculturists we shall miss his prolific pen in our reading, and his excellent advice in the practice of our profession; but most sensibly as horticulturists and pomologists shall we feel our personal loss, especially as members of this Society. To it and to us he has devoted one-third of a century of untiring efforts to sustain its well earned reputation in the sisterhood of similar State institutions that have sprung up around it since we were first brought together in 1847, in response to a call from Mr. Bateham in the columns of his periodical, the Ohio Cultivator.

This Society, therefore, owes its very inception to his forethought, and it has ever since been an object of his deep solicitude, being, indeed the offspring of his active brain, and the nursling of his tender, paternal care. As its continued Secretary, under the successive titles of Fruit Growers' Convention, Pomological Society, and, more recently, of the Ohio Horticultural Society, our organization has incurred a debt of gratitude to Mr. Bateham for invaluable services.

And now, that we have lost our Secretary, all will feel how sadly we shall miss his active presence among us.

For our consolation in this sad bereavement, we may recur to the pleasant recollections of the past which offer a gratifying retrospect of the good deeds done in the body, that cannot fail to bear bountiful harvests of excellent fruit in the future as they have already done in the past. It has been well said by one who knew him well, "There is scarcely an orchard or a farm in Ohio that has not been benefited by his teachings."

And, my friends, how consoling the thought which we are allowed to indulge, to-wit : That our loss, great and irreparable though it be, is, at the same time, to result in the infinite gain and everlasting happiness of our friend. He is now released from the thraldom of earth, with its many and wearisome cares. He has passed the gates of pearl that inclose those regions of bliss where, in the presence of the blessed, he may continue to pursue to their ultimates, the many questions which, to his and to our mortal eyes, appeared dark and mysterious riddles, ever claiming our attention, but too often unsolvable by our finite powers. To him all is now clear, bright and beautiful. Let us who remain cherish the memory of the departed.

George W. Campbell, of Delaware, endorsed all that appeared in the Bural New Yorker, and suggested that a tribute be paid to Mr. Bateham's memory in the next report of the Society.

N. Ohmer, of Dayton, spoke of the State's loss in the death of Mr. Bateham, and seconded Mr. Campbell's motion.

Colonel Innis, in reference to Mr. Bateham's industry, said that he was a most untiring worker, both in the field and study. He was one of nature's workers, and not satisfied when idle. He served the public well, and his productions upon the work of horticu!tarists would be referred to for years.

W. I. Chamberlain, Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, said he had known Mr. Bateham but a short time. He had hastened home from the West when he heard of Mr. Bateham's sickness, to visit him at Painesville. He admired Mr. Bateham mostly for his two opposite characteristics. He was unflinching in his moral character, yet he was harmonious in his intercourse with his fellow men. 'e was disinterested in himself, and seemed to devote his time to the benefit of others. Mr. Bateham's work will long be remembered, as the legacy he left the horticulturists is rich and valuable.