82 TEANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



through the season, firm shipper, of good quality aud fine appearance 

 in box. It has astonished all that have seen it : from every place that 

 it has appeared in market comes unsolicited plaudits of its beautiful, 

 solid appearance and fine selling qualities, after being shipped 

 hundreds of miles. The yield per acre, under ordinary matted row- 

 culture, is immense, second to nothing grown here, but a long way 

 in the lead. It is destined to give strawberry growing a great impe- 

 tus in Egypt. 



Raspberries — Of recent introductions we have nothing to report. 

 Red Cuthbert and Brandywine are considered the best with us. Of 

 black caps, Tyler, Souhegan, Ohio Black and Gregg. Shaffer's Col- 

 lossal takes the lead as a very large berry for home use and home 

 market, but is a very poor shipper, 



Gooseberries — The Downing, Mt. Seedling and Houghton are 

 grown, and for market in order named. Triumph, a new American 

 gooseberry, from Pennsylvania, is a promising rival of the Downing, 

 much larger. This year they bore a nice crop of large, handsome 

 berries, free from mildew. The Industry has, wifh us, not proved 

 profitable, like all English varieties, it has fallen a victim to mildew. 



Grapes — Niagara has proven hardy and bids fair to be a rival 

 of Concord, it was not entirely free from rot this year. We only 

 know of three kinds that are, viz: Perkins, Norton's Virginia Seed- 

 ling and Cynthiana. Empire State has been fruited by some ama- 

 tuers, and is highly esteemed. Brighton, Noah, Liudley and Worden 

 are successfully grown in Clinton county by a few Germans, who 

 bag them early. 



Blackberries — Early Harvest stands first as an early berry, ripen- 

 ing before the Black Raspberries are done ; of medium size and of 

 fair quality. Western Triumph and Stone's Hardy fruited by us 

 two years, we like them better than Snyder for this far south. We 

 can see no difference in the Erie and Lawton, one year's fruiting. 



Currants — The Victoria and Red Dutch take the lead here as 

 red currants. The Fays, like the Cherry, will never be profitably 

 grown this far south, with us being almost the southern limit of 

 currant growing. 



Pears — Keiffer and LaConte produced heavy crops this year on 

 four and five-year old trees. The LaConte is an enormous bearer ; 

 quality third rate. Jefferson and Early Harvest are one and same 

 pear to me ; early and of third quality. Lanson we have not fruited. 



Quinces — Meches' Prolific is a vigorous, good grower. Tree 

 hardier than Reas' Mammoth or Orange quince ; bore fruit this year 

 very similar in size and quality to the Orange quince. 



Plums — We fruited several new American kinds, — the Decari- 

 duc, a very fine, large round plum, pretty as a Nectarine, dark 

 mottled and marbled, small round stone, quality good : ripens July 

 20th. Parson plum, from St. Louis County, Mo., a valuable, hand- 



