1 86 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



as it is hardier than Doolittle and Mammoth Cluster, a strong grower 

 and always productive, and the fruit of the very best quality. Turner is 

 the only red raspberry grown there and is highly prized. 



Concord is the leading grape, though Martha is good and sells well, 

 but the vine is not as productive as Concord. Elvira proves hardy, 

 having stood tied to stakes last winter uninjured. 



Apples, though abundant, rotted badly, as everywhere in Central and 

 Northern Illinois, in some instances nearly the whole crop of winter 

 apples had rotted at the date of writing, December ist. 



H. W. Davis, of Decatur, in reporting for Macon county gives the 

 same general effect of cold and drouth, and the rotting of apples by the 

 extreme heat of the last of September and first of October. The so-called 

 Iron-clad apple-trees which bloomed early failed to fruit, the blossoms 

 being destroyed by frost; even the Transcendent crab shared this fate 

 and no fruit Avas produced. 



He thinks that we should learn from such experience to take time of 

 blooming into the account in selecting varieties as well as hardiness of 

 tree. 



He claims to have discovered the cause of the spur-blight in apple- 

 trees to be the larvae of an insect which lays its egg in the terminal bud 

 in autumn, as he has discovered the worm at work there early in the 

 season. In confirmation of the theory he says that last December there 

 was an extraordinary sleet which coated the twigs and spurs of trees, 

 lasting for several weeks ; and, since there was no spur-blight the past 

 season, he concludes the eggs were destroyed by the sleet. 



He cautions orchardists against severe pruning ; and trusts that 

 farmers will hereafter look around them and see what varieties of fruit 

 succeed best and plant such freely. 



J. B. Reeve reports from Shelbyville, Shelby county, almost identi- 

 cally the same as does Mr. Bancroft in regard to the weather and drouth, 

 the crops of small-fruits and apples. Grapes mildewed considerably, but 

 were a fair crop — the first in four years — the vines having "mildewed " 

 the three previous years, except on river bluffs. 



Codling-moth was much more abundant than usual. A friend of his 

 in the city makes the growing of Quinces a specialty. 



They are planted on a lot upon which a blacksmith shop stood for 

 twenty years ; the bushes grow well and bear well, and the fruit is of the 

 best quality — taking first premiums at the Illinois State fair and the St. 

 Louis fair. The bushes near or on the site of the shop grow best and 

 bear the most and best fruit. He naturally attributes this success to the 

 mixture of iron cinders, coal dust, etc., in the soil. Other bushes grown 

 from cuttings taken from these and planted elsewhere are not productive. 



He reports that the European cabbage-worm destroyed nearly all the 

 cabbages in the county; one gardener, however, raised a large crop of 

 fine, large cabbages by the free use of blood guano mixed with plaster 

 sown broadcast occasionally over the patch. It appears to destroy the 

 worms and causes the plants to grow rapidly. 



