STATE HOBTICULTURAL SOCIETY. ig 



orchards upon the prairie which had been a long time in grass and were 

 literally starving to death, being rejuvenated and rendered productive by 

 plowing and manuring. Barn-yard manure contains all the elements 

 needed ; and if judiciously applied to unhealthy, unfruitful trees, good 

 cultivation given, and the land, where it is needed, either under-drained 

 or surface-drained by throwing into ridges before trees are planted, we 

 would hear but little about the soi'/s of Illinois being too rich or too sour 

 for orchard sites. 



As has been well said, the climate is somewhat inimical to the 

 orchardist, and we must therefore keep on trying to secure varieties 

 which have the greatest amount of vitality to withstand our extremes of 

 weather. 



A. H. Gaston. — Let Illinois raise her own seedlings if we are to 

 have healthy iron-clad trees. Ben Davis, one of our hardiest, is a native 

 of Kentucky ; Rawles' Janet is failing, and so is Willow Twig. I am 

 glad the fruit-growers of Illinois are turning their attention to the pro- 

 duction of new varieties. The Wythe is a new apple. Mr. Hatheway 

 has brought out the Salome, which so far has withstood all changes and 

 borne every year. There are samples of good seedling apples on the 

 tables in the other room, exhibited by Mr. Hammond ; I have three seed- 

 lings in the fruit-hall which I wish you would examine. 



I believe we can raise healthy pear-trees here as well as apple-trees. 

 When we find smooth, nice-looking seedlings we should save them. 



Mr. Burnham. — Need we wait till the seedlings grow up to test 

 them ? Can they not be grafted into orchard-trees and so learn in two 

 or three years whether the fruit is valuable ? 



Mr. Gaston. — Yes, and this is the best way to prove whether they 

 are worth any farther care; we will then only lose a very little labor for 

 two or three years at any rate, and if one in fifty proves good we will get 

 paid. 



INTRODUCTIONS. 



The President. — Now is a good time to call on and make the 

 acquaintance of the Treasurer, and present him with your card and a 

 dollar for membership. 



Mr. Minkler. — Yes, I like to make the acquaintance of all the 

 members, and especially in the manner spoken of by the President. 



The President. — We have here from Indiana, as delegates, Mr. and 

 Mrs. W. A. Ragan. Dr. Humphrey will please to introduce them. 



Mr. and Mrs. Ragan rose and were introduced. 



