154 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Boncher — lu Randolph we are planting mostly Ben Davie^ 

 Willow Twig and Jonathan. 



Mr. Lilly — Ben Davis is mostly planted in Livingston county. 



Grundy mt*inber--In this county I am planting Ben Davis, Willow 

 Twig and Jonathan. This fall I have Wiilow Twig and Ben Davis. 

 The Jonathan will be set in the spring. 



Mr. Baxter — In Hancock county, Illinois, nine-tenths of the apples 

 planted are Ben Davis, ^ext come Jonathan and Wythe. 



Mercer county member — We plant Ben Davis, Willow and Jona-^ 

 than. Porter, Fameuse and Lowell pay well as fall apples. 



Wednesday, Dec. 5—2 p. m. 



The following papers were all read before discussion : 



" Hardy Peaches" — S. Blanchard. 



"Peach Growing" — C. Howard. 



" Can We Breed a Hardy Peach F— Z. T. Russell. 



Hardy Peaches. 



S. Blanchard, Oregon, Mo. 



It geems that our rulers at times take upon themselves great 

 authority to assign certain subjects to be explained or ilUustrated 

 (without our knowledge or consent) at such meetings as those where 

 the best talent in the State and adjoining states is present. 



This can but be a very mortifying task to all not having a good 

 share of egotism or self-esteem. But enough of this. 



The writer commenced the fruit business 32 years ago. My expe- 

 rience has been varied in that time, for at times for several years in 

 succession our trees would be loaded with fruit, followed, sometimes, 

 with as many years of failure. 



In 1862 we had an early hard freeze that not only killed peach 

 trees, but many varieties of apples. Since then we had one winter 

 that killed nearly all of our trees. 



The other failures have arisen from the effects of excessive cold 

 in killing the buds. 



Hence we have had some good opportunities for testing the hardi- 

 ness of the peach. 



Experience and observation have proven that the seedling trees 

 are not more hardy than many of the budded varieties. 



On my place the Hale's Early and Crawford's Late and Heath 

 Cling have proven the most hardy ones. 



Hale's Early has with the writer rotted badly on the trees. 



