STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 41 



FIRST DAY— EVENING. 



The Society re-assembled as per adjournment. 



The first order of business being the report of the Committee on 

 Entomology, the Secretary suggested that as the lecture or report of 

 Prof. Thomas was to be of a general and popular nature he would secure 

 a larger audience than this hall can accommodate and it should therefore 

 be deferred and be delivered in the Assembly Hall. 



The President. — Dr. Thomas will deliver his lecture at some future 

 time, not yet fixed ; there is not time for it this evening. 



On motion of the Secretary, the lecture of Prof Thomas was fixed 

 for to-morrow evening in the Assembly Hall. The special order was 

 then taken up, being the report from Mr. Johnson. 



REPORT ON GENERAL HORTICULTURE— THIRD DISTRICT. 

 By J. S. Johnson, Elvaston. 



Mr. President and Members of the State Horticultural Society : 



In performing the task of reporting on the General Horticulture of 

 Central Illinois, composed of twenty-one counties, I am at a loss to know 

 where horticulture ends and agriculture begins, they are so intimately 

 connected and managed by almost every farmer, as well as gardener and 

 florist. 



Since your last meeting I can say of a truth, we have had a very 

 unusual twelve months of meteorology in this locality, 40^° north, and in 

 the extreme western part of the State. We went into winter with trees 

 in good condition, wood well perfected. The snow fell on the 7th, nth, 

 1 2th and 13th of December, 1878, to the depth of eighteen to twenty 

 inches, ground not frozen and quite dry. January 2d the thermometer 

 showed 20° to 28° below, and remained for a week. During this time I 

 think peaches, blackberries and nearly all our cherries and tender roses 

 were destroyed above the snow line. February was very mild. The 

 December snow all left, and, for the first time in the remembrance of ye 

 writer, did not raise the branches by its going; the ground not being 

 frozen, the snow-water went directly into the earth. February 12th snow 

 fell two inches; on the 15th, i6th and 17th six inches; on the 26th the 

 mercury was 4° below zero. March ist, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th warm; 

 7th and 8th 75° above zero, and I planted potatoes, lettuce and ratKshes. 

 March 27th violets in bloom in flower beds. 



Cabbage, turnips and potatoes under snow all winter grew as well as 

 if transplanted from cellar ; apples were found under trees as good as 

 when gathered in the fall. April was cold and dry ; rain fell on the nth, 

 wetting the ground three inches. Still cold and very dry through May 



