I 



14 TKANSACTIONS OF THE rLLIXOIS 



The principal injury by insects, ihe past season, has been from cabbage-worm 

 (which has made a clean sweep of the raw material for kraut) and codling-moth and 

 curculio. The absence of plums has caused the "little Turk" to depredate on the 

 cherry to a considerable extent. The Colorado beetle made something of a show early 

 in the spring, but soon disappeared with but little damage. 



COMMUNICATION FROM HON. LE#IS ELLSWORTH. 



The following was read in connection with Mr. Graves's report : 



Naperville, III., Dec. 4, 1879. 



H. C. Graves, Esq. — My Dear Sir, — I have received from Secretary Galusha a 

 request for a report on some subject for our annual meeting at Normal, on the 9th inst. 



I regret that my time has been and is so controlled that I cannot fully comply, 

 nor shall I be able to attend the meeting, which I deeply regret. 



I would suggest, for consideration and discussion, the cause or causes of the prema- 

 ture old age and decay of our apple-orchard trees. Is it alone attributable to climate, 

 our severe winters and bright, warm sun? our late, growing autumns? or want of 

 thorough drainage ? or want of protection by timber-belts ? or to the system of propaga- 

 ting by root-grafting, weakening the constitution of the tree, as clahtied by so9>te ? 



My impression is that the first and perhaps the greatest cause of injury to our fruit- 

 trees is the want of thorough drainage of the orchard grounds. There is an opinion 

 with many that our flat lands, only, require drainage ; others think that all, the rolling 

 as well as the flat lands, are greatly benefited by drainage. 



My own observation convinces me that all our lands with a clay or clayey-loam 

 subsoil should be thoroughly tile-drained for the highest development of any crop, 

 especially fruit. Shelter-belts for the orchard is another subject upon which there is a 

 diversity of opinion; the general practical experience on that subject has not been 

 sufficient to demonstrate positively the advantage or non-advantage, hence the diversity 

 of opinion. I incline to the protection side of the question. As to the kind of tree for 

 protective belts, I consider the evergreen far superior to the deciduous trees. They 

 afford protection at the time of year when protection is most needed, whilst the dicid- 

 uous trees have dropped their leaves, leaving only partial protection. One other consid- 

 eration in favor of the evergreen is, they occupy much less ground than the deciduous 

 trees — one row of the former is sufficient for a shelter-belt, while of the latter two or 

 more rows are required to afford only a slight protection. The location of an orchard 

 is a matter worthy of consideration ; a northern is preferable to a southern declivity, or 

 an eastern to a western slope. 



Protection for our fruit-trees in some manner is a necessity, for without it on the 

 prairies fruit-growing for market purposes must be a failure. Whether that protection 

 be in a well-drained soil, or protection by timber-belts, or a change in the manner of 

 propagation, or the location of the orchard, or all combined, are questions worthy of 

 consideration. The loss is not owing so much to the short life of our fruit-trees as to 

 their unhealthy condition, for an unhealthy tree produces defective, unsalable fruit. 



Go through our fruit markets — Chicago, for instance, one of the largest on the conti- 

 nent. What do you find ? If inquiry be made it will be found that the fairest, best 

 fruits come from Michigan, Ohio, New York or some State outside of Illinois. Is there 

 no remedy for this ? 



It is the duty of horticultural societies, especially the Illinois State Horticultural 

 Society, which by liberal appropriations by our State Legislature is kept alive finan- 

 cially, to inaugurate a system, through appropriate committees, or otherwise, of practical 

 investigations that will furnish reliable information on a subject of so much importance 

 as fruit-growing for market purposes, which is one of the great productive interests of 

 the State. Failing to do this, we are not worthy to receive financial aid from the State, 

 nor can we consistently ask it of the Legislature. 



If we cannot grow fruit successfully for market, the sooner we know it the better, 

 that our lands covered with orchard trees may be cleared and appropriated to the 

 growth of other and more successful crops. 



