STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. l j 



REPORT OF LASALLE COUNTY— By E. C. Hatheway. 



Mr. H. C. Graves. — Dear Sir, — In compliance with your request to send you 

 facts respecting the status of horticulture in this county, I will say that the season 

 generally in this immediate locality has been favorable, in the main, for growth of tree 

 and vine; in fact, I never saw such an abundant growth of cane as the grape-vine has 

 made this year, which no doubt is due not only to the favoraljle season for growth, but 

 as well to the spring frosts cutting off the bloom, which occasioned a crop of less than 

 half the usual quantity. 



Very warm weather early in April -started buds and pushed them into growth. 

 May came in cold and diy, with frost every night, destroying strawberry bloom, except 

 where mulch was allowed to remain very late, so that not more than forty or fifty per 

 cent, of this crop was realized. 



Dry weather with high winds continued until the 13th of May, injuring bloom 

 and also setting fruit on orchard trees ; very heavy rains about the middle of May 

 destroyed young plants just breaking through the soil in vegetable gardens. 



Our whole season has been peculiarly favorable for all vegetable and plant growth, 

 as it has been steadily hot, with freijuent showers. 



Cherries were a very short crop and brought two to three dollars per bushel. 



Early Richmond was the only variety that produced much fruit, and then only 

 ~uhere worked on the Alahaleb. 



What few English Morellos ripened were zvorthless, being zvormy. 



Currants were scarce in general. Most plantations have been allowed to take care 

 of themselves, and consequently have become infested with lice [aphides), and also 

 stalk-borers, to such an extent that they are of little consequence for producing a crop. 



Gooseberries are neglected, and consequently but few other than the hardy Houghton 

 and American Seedling are found in our markets. 



Plums are cultivated so little here that they are hardly worth mentioning, unless it 

 may be the wonderful " Wild Goose," which, though the trees are plentiful enough in 

 this locality, is like its namesake, so shy that if Mr. Curculio had to depend upon this 

 one variety of fruit for his commissariat, and eat the whole, starvation gaunt would beset 

 him in his early existence. 



Grapes were a short crop, caused by frosts during inflorescence. For ability to 

 stand grief I place Concord at the head all the time. Prices for this fruit ranged a 

 little better than last year. 



Pears were not quite up to the usual amount in this locality, as the severe storm of 

 seventh of July whipped off the most of them. I think that the time is not far distant 

 when pears can be grown as plentifully as apples ; at least I have not lost faith in them, 

 being fully satisfied as to what is the occasion of the blight ; and I believe we know 

 the remedies, but fail in the proper application of them. 



Apples were quite plentiful in fall varieties, and brought low prices ; but winter 

 fruit was very scarce, and what little there was rotted badly. 



Apple-trees made fine growth this year, and branches are thickly studded with 

 fruit-buds for next season. 



Some twig-blight on English Golden Russet, Maiden's Blush and Willow Twig, 

 but no leaf-blight on any variety. 



Baldwins nearly all killed with cold, last winter. 



Blackberries are but little grown here, but Mr. Samuel Edwards writes me from the 

 northwest part of the county that he had a large crOp of splendid Snyders. I was 

 fortunate enough to be the recipient of a crate of them from him, which he termed 

 "culls, or the last run of the pickings." They were splendid, and if these were " poor " 

 Snyders, I propose to go, if necessary, a long way to see some good ones next season. 



Strawberries, as stated before, were a short crop in this locality. Wilson, except in 

 few instances, was a total failure. Crescent, with me, did wonderfully the past season, 

 seven-eighths, or less, of an acre producing more than 8,000 quarts, which sold at two 

 to two-and-one-half cents per quart here more than the best Wilsons would bring. I 

 sold fine Wilsons in Chicago for ninety cents per half-bushel crate, and on same day, 



