8 TKANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



short time. The late fall varieties ripened early in the fall and soon 

 rotted. Of winter varieties there were very few, and owing to the warm, 

 dry fall weather they ripened too early and fully, consequently the very 

 few we have are keeping poorly, so, as usual, we are dependent on Michi- 

 gan and other States to the east for this staple fruit. Our old orchards are 

 going to decay; the middle-aged ones are neither healthy nor fruitful and 

 already show unmistakable signs of short life. Of young orchards, while 

 some look well, the majority are spotted, some trees have died out, some 

 half dead, others not vigorous nor healthy, etc. 



There is, Mr. President, a cause or causes for the short, unhealthy life 

 and unfruitfulness of our apple orchards in Northern Illinois, and it is now 

 time for our Society to make (since it has become able to do so) able and 

 diligent search for these causes, and if found publish them to the people, 

 with the remedies, if there are any. 



There are many theories concerning the failure of our orchards 

 which I will not take time to enumerate, but there is likely to be found 

 something real in many of them; and while I am willing to concede that 

 proper drainage and protection, careful selection of location, judicious 

 cultivation and pruning, etc., have much to do in the matter, I hold that 

 our prairie soil and its climate are peculiar and different from those of 

 Michigan and States farther east that produce the apples in abundance 

 that we like to eat; and that, after all we may do artificially on these 

 points, we will fail in a great measure to grow healthy, long-lived, fruitful 

 trees that will give us first-class, long-keeping fruit, especially so long as 

 we plant varieties originating in and adapted to soils and climates quite 

 different from ours, which is the case with nearly all the varieties in the 

 orchards of to-day. 



I lean to the theory that when we get an apple that is every way 

 a success in our soil and climate it will have to be originated here, 

 inheriting its peculiarities from the soil and surroundings, or in some 

 other soil and climate exactly like this. The want of a first-class, long- 

 keeping apple is keenly felt in our district ; in fact, we may include the 

 entire Northwest on this point. This fact has been accepted by this 

 Society, and it is conceded by many that such variety or varieties will 

 have to originate here with us. But, gentlemen, what are we doing to 

 produce them? Nurserymen, as a rule, sell nothing but grafted trees: 

 in fact, the rule with them is to consign every seedling that appears to the 

 brush pile. Nothing, so far as I can learn, is being done by any society 

 or persons at all commensurate with the task. With this state of affairs, 

 and with the taste and desire everywhere amongst us to reach abroad to 

 different and distant soils and climes for what we want, when will we 

 produce the varieties in question ? The time, under the present circum- 

 stances, surely appears distant. With the hope that this Society at this 

 meeting will discuss this important subject and take such action as will 

 result in a thorough and able examination of all the theories connected 

 with the subject, and give us back facts and something practical in place 

 of theories, I will leave the subject with two suggestions which appear to 

 me practicable : 



