STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



187 



J. G. Thompson, of Urbana, writes that the season has been on the 

 whole unfavorable. But few varieties of apple-trees produced good crops ; 

 the Red Astrachan and other sorts which ripened early, being less affected 

 by the drouth, were of good quality, but three-fourths of autumn and 

 winter apples rotted. He says that people have planted in too great pro- 

 portion autumn varieties. Two years ago he planted an orchard of one 

 hundred and ten trees, consisting of ninety Ben Davis and twenty Wine- 

 sap. He thinks there is more money in Ben Davis than any other sort. 



Flemish Beauty is considered the most profitable variety of pear, as 

 the tree is hardy and productive and more free from blight than any 

 other ; Howell, also, he says does well when the fruit-buds do not swell 

 in autumn so as to expose them to winter-killing. 



He considers the Early May (Richmond) cherry the only variety 

 worth planting; this bore a fair crop last season. Another called Late 

 May bore well, but the fruit was very wormy. 



He reports strawberries badly damaged, and some plantations entirely 

 destroyed by late frosts. 



Raspberries suffered from the extreme cold ; and the tips of the canes 

 of black-caps died early in autumn, preventing them from taking root, and 

 asks for the cause.* 



The raspberry crop was damaged considerably by the drouth, which 

 was quite severe just before and during the time of ripening. 



Blackberries, "except the iron-clad Snyder," were killed to the 

 ground, and even that was somewhat damaged by the severe winter of 

 1878-79. The Snyder has the fault of overbearing and the canes and 

 laterals should be cut back severely in the spring — thus reducing the 

 number and increasing the size of the berries. 



He reports the prospect good for fruit crops in 1880. 



The following reports cover considerable ground and are given entire. 



REPORT OF LOGAN COUNTY— By C. S. Capps, Mt. Pulaski. 



Mr. Henry M. Dunlap, Champaign, IW.—Beai- Sir,— By card received from 

 Secretary O. B. Galusha I am informed that I am appointed correspondent of the Illinois 

 State Horticultural Society for Logan county for 1879, and am requested to report to 

 you on such matters of interest relating to Horticulture as come under my notice. 



For this year I have to report a very unsatisfactory fruit crop in this county. We 

 have had no peaches; the peach-trees were mostly killed by the cold of last winter; a 

 few of the younger trees escaped but did not bear any fruit. Our Alexander early trees 

 bloomed even after the trees were dead, proving, I think, that the blossom-buds were 

 more hardy than the trees. 



The apple crop was very light and winter apples are rotting badly; Rawles' Janet 

 has, I think, proved the most satisfactory variety. Willow Twig, White Winter Pear- 

 main, Northern Spy and Domine have also produced pretty well in some orchards. Our 

 favorite varieties are as follows: For Sttmmer — Early Harvest, Pomme Royal, Sops of 

 Wine, Red June, Chenango Strawberry, Late Strawberry. For Tv?//— Maiden's Blush, 



*This dying of the tips of black-cap canes was quite common in the West and is 

 attributed to the long-continued and intense heat in connection with drouth. — Editor. 



