SOCIETY OP NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 219 



the ground in an orchard which was seeded down to blue grass, and 

 found the water had not wet down at all, to do the trees a particle 

 of good. We cannot dry nor starve our orchard trees to death, and 

 then expect to get apples from them. Prune your trees and look 

 after the renewing of your ground. It will pay you for your trouble. 

 The first decline in our orchards dates back to 1878, wher^we had a 

 warm February and very cold March, which damaged the trees more 

 or less. 



Mr. L. Woodard — I concur in Mr. Minkler's remarks, and 

 would recommend as a remedy to prevent an orchard from drying 

 out, to mulch it with straw and leave it on; it will assist in renewing 

 ihe land and keep it moist. 



Mr. A. R. Whitney — T have been in the habit of hauling tne 

 manure from my place on to my orchard ground and find it of great 

 benefit; consider straw mulch a good thing also, have tried it as an 

 experiment, putting it around some trees and leaving the ground 

 bare upder others. The result was, I got a good crop of apples where 

 the trees were mulched, and none where they were not. 



Mr. W. W. Wicks — Protect your trees from sun-scald and rab- 

 bits. Paper wrapped around the bodies will answer. A good wash 

 for nursery trees is night soil and sulphur. 



Mr. A. R. Whitney — I wash my trees with a solution composed 

 of one-half bushel of stone lime, one pound of glue, and one pound 

 of copperas. This quantity will wash 200 orchard trees and will 

 keep ofE the rabbits and insects. 



At this juncture the chair called attention to the questions 

 asked in the letter from 0. W. Barnard, and suggested taking them 

 up ip. their order, which was done. 



1st Question. — Does any member of this society know what 

 the Experiment Station at Champaign is doing, with reference to the 

 development of a winter apple, equal to the Duchesse in bearing and 

 staying qualities, adapted to the wants of the northwest? 



Answer — Mr. Bryant said he did not think anything had been 

 done in that direction. 



