MEMORIAL OF EPHRAIM WILCOX.

A. J. Philips, West Salem.

In memory of Ephraim Wilcox.

He was born in Saratoga Co., N. Y., in 1812, and died at La Crosse November 12th, 1894. He lived with his estimable wife fifty-nine years, she dying in 1892. He left a family of seven children. Since 1862 he has lived in Trempeauleau and La Crosse counties, being engaged in horticultural pursuits all the time. He founded the nurseries named, Mount Hope, by J. S. Stickney, in 1878. He was an honest man, true to his convictions of right, and wonderful ambition and perseverance. He spared no time, and used his means liberally, to make fruit growing in the north a success, and many who are left will remember his wise counsels. He was a strong abolitionist before the war and as determined a prohibitionist since that time. At the time of his death he was a life member of both the Wisconsin and Minnesota Horticultural Societies.

His was a well spent life. I attended his golden wedding nine years before his death, and one noticeable feature of the occasion was that those who had known him longest respected him the most. Before leaving Trempealeau he donated the evergreens to the ladies' society to beautify and adorn their village cemetery. And the sight of those now tall trees will always be a reminder of the life and character of the pair that now rest there, after a long and pleasant life. He was one of the first to advocate top working to increase hardiness in apple trees, and many who once thought his teachings of little value, have now learned that Uncle Wilcox was "right and verily he builded better than he knew," for this plan of growing trees is becoming very popular.

The writer has spent many happy hours in his company, and has growing in the orchard many monuments to his memory, and can truly say in conclusion that he believes that the world is better for Uncle Wilcox having lived in it.

S. I. FREEBORN.

A. L. Hatch.

Mr. S. I. Freeborn, born in Niagara Co., N. Y., April 30th, 1833, died at Richland Center, Wis., February 5th, 1895.

Mr. Freeborn was one of the most enthusiastic fruit growers of southwestern Wisconsin. He began the nursery business at Ithaca, in Richland county, in 1868, which he continued more or less until the time of his death. On his farm in the valley considerable small fruits were grown and on his ridge farm he planted a large orchard and vineyard to which he was constantly adding new and hardy kinds from all sources. His collection of Russian apples, begun in 1870, was one of the largest in Wisconsin, and his paper before our Society a few years ago on this subject is one of the most modestly truthful and valuable of any in our records. Besides his older orchard of one hundred kinds of apples in bearing, he top grafted and planted two hundred varieties in orchard as a practical trial of other kinds. Several kinds of pears, plums and cherries are in his orchard, and bearing considerable fruit each year.. His vineyard embraces about sixty varieties and produces several tons of grapes each season.

It was Mr. Freeborn's practice for several years to plant the seed from a peck of some one kind of good, hardy apple grown near other good kinds. In this way he produced a lot of what may be termed "pedigree seedlings," that altogether were very hopeful and promising. No horticultural work engaged his interest more than this, and during his last sickness he expressed regret that he could not be spared to carry on that work that promises so much for the future horticulturist.

While more extensively engaged in the nursery business, his firm introduced, many years ago, the McMahan apple, which stands today as one of the rugged sorts of the orchard, and a blessing to Wisconsin fruit culture.

Mr. Freeborn was a cheerful contributor to the display of fruit by our Society at the world's fair in Chicago, and his beautiful products added very materially to the credit of our own

state. He was also an extensive beekeeper, having had, one season, of his own producing, twenty-two and a half tons of honey-the largest crop ever secured we think by one person in Wisconsin.

Although gone from among us, his work and influence still live and will leave its impress upon our horticulture for time to come, for like many other earnest workers in the field of fruit culture his work tended to cheapen fruit to many people, and to bring into prominence one of the best resources in the great business of home making.

A TRIBUTE ΤΟ THE MEMORY OF MY FRIEND, GEORGE P. PEFFER.

By H. E. Van Deman.

George P. Peffer died September 11th, 1895, aged 73 years. He was one of the pioneers of Waukesha county, living there since 1842. As a horticulturist he had a state and a national reputation. His counsels in our meetings were always listened to with interest. Having been asked by his family to prepare his obituary, I will add some words of remembrance sent by his friend, Hon. H. E. Van Deman, of Parksley, Virginia. A. J. Philips, Secretary.

As we contemplate the death of our venerable friend, George P. Peffer, it may be truly said, that one of the pillars of American horticulture has fallen. He was one of the pioneers of this great industry in the northwest, having moved from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin when a very young man. He there soon developed that inborn love for gardening and general fruit culture which characterized his whole life; although he for many years followed carpentering as a trade. His love of horticulture led him to plant all varieties that were likely to prove suitable to the climate of his home at Pewaukee. He also planted seeds of the most promising fruits, and originated many new varieties, some of which are today scattered all over the northern part of this continent, and are being tested