44 TKANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



which every family should raise for themselves ; it takes but little time 

 to raise them^ compared to the amount of good living, saying nothing of 

 the health they bring. 



It is true you cannot raise asparagus, pease, beans, onions, carrots, 

 beets, cabbage, cauliflowers, squashes, cucumbers, radishes, potatoes and 

 melons without labor and good attention. The better the cultivation 

 and richer the ground the better and more perfect they will be. It is 

 not necessary for me to enumerate the best kinds, they have already been 

 published many times in your reports. I would recommend that the 

 head of every family instruct the rising generation in horticulture in its 

 highest sense. In fact, I would have it added in connection with botany 

 in our common schools as one of the sciences. 



Our Enemies — The Insects. — They deserve more than a mere men- 

 tion. The apple has been injured by tent-caterpillars, canker-worms and 

 codling-moth, the greatest injury being done by the moth, in some 

 orchards nearly every apple being attacked. We have had enemies on 

 our vegetables. Four varieties on potatoes — the Colorado beetle and 

 the ten-lined, four-lined and black blister-beetle, in many localities 

 devouring the entire crop. A bug we call squash-bug, shaped a little 

 like a turtle, with a hard shell of a dun color, infested the squashes ; he 

 would leave when fresh lime was used, but would soon return. 



One more, which is new here, is the worm that has destroyed nearly 

 all our cabbages, and, from appearances, has prepared itself for a good 

 start next season. I have a few seed gathered for this Society to 

 examine, which will be found in the query-box. We used lime, cold 

 salt water and hot salt water ; the hot brine was found to be the best, but 

 none a full success. 



Scale-lice on maples and Osage hedge trees were plenty, but a friend 

 was found following, taking the substance from them before they could 

 do us damage. 



I feel to rejoice in the improvement that has taken place in the last 

 five years in this district in the cultivation of flowers. Where we only saw 

 a few in the towns and cities, we now find them at nearly every house, in 

 all their glory. Small orange-trees, in bloom and fruit, are occasionally 

 seen, while geraniums, heliotropes, begonias, dahlias, carnation pinks, 

 tea-roses, fuchsias, calla lilies and cacti, with a large quantity of coleus 

 plants, are often seen, and are beautiful to behold. I am aware a few 

 old fogies say they would prefer corn, but give me the boy or girl with a 

 cultivated taste for the beautiful in nature. 



I wish to say a word for the planting of forest trees, for protection 

 and timber. 



My attention, some fifteen years ago, was called to the subject of 

 timber-belts by noticing an orchard with a natural grove on the south- 

 east of it. When the apple-trees were in full bloom there was a three- 

 days' cold, southeast storm, and tl-iat orchard was not affected like those 

 without the timber-belt. I think more fruit is destroyed in time of 

 bloom from the meteorological conditions than from all other causes 

 combined. 



