SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 199 



the country. I don't know why it is, but the trees that we used to 

 consider were not hardy, are now standing the winters the best, and 

 those we used to consider were perfectly hardy, are now going back 

 on us. In some orchards the Willow Twigs are looking fine and 

 doing well; in others, they are all dead. Trees in the nursery have 

 done much better for the past few years and I feel considerably 

 encouraged. I hardly know what you would call ironclads, as 

 some kinds do well in some localities and poorly in others. 



Mr. Cotta — I have none of our native kinds that I could 

 recommend as ironclads; am of the opinion that hardiness is only 

 a matter of locality. I think the Duchesse might be called an iron- 

 clad, but when it grows very late in the fall, it is liable to be hurt 

 with the winter. Under ordinary circumstances, it ripens very 

 early and goes into winter in very good shape. I had five Willow 

 Twigs that bore one bushel of apples per tree and sold them for 

 $1.00 per bushel; that would be a good variety for profit, if they 

 would bear that way every year, or every other year. 



Mr. Boone — Is it necessary to renew our orchards with manure, 

 and if so, what is the best to use ? 



Mr. Bryant — There is no question but that we must renew our 

 orchard ground with some kind of manure, and that from the barn- 

 yard I consider best. You can't expect to grow a succession of crops 

 on the same land without using some kind of a fertilizer. 



DISCUSSION ON STRAWBERRIES. 



Mrs. Crummer — The Crescent Seedling strawberry has proven 

 to be the greatest success of any we have ever tried, and we have 

 experimented with a good many kinds. It seems to be the best 

 adapted to onr clay soil of anything. 



Mr. Boone — The Crescent has been our most successful berry. 

 Wo aid like to ask Mrs. Crummer how they plant and grow their 

 berries. 



Mrs. Crummer — We plant in rows, making every third row of 

 a good fertilizer, such as the Captain Jack, think that is the best. 

 Miner's Prolific is a good one, and blooms about the same time as 

 the Crescent. 



