194 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Mr. MiNiER. — I am in hopes that the cental system will come into 

 use, and wish that this Society would recommend it. 



The Secretary. — This Society has recommended it, and also that 

 all horticultural products be sold by weight. 



The President stated that it was time to hear the reports of Com- 

 mittee on New Fruits. 



Mr. Spalding, a member of the committee, said he had prepared no 

 report. 



Mr. Galusha, another member of that committee, being called on, 

 read the following : 



REPORT UPON NEW FRUITS.— By O. B. Galusha, Morris. 



Mr. President, — The increasing interest in the introduction and 

 cultivation of new varieties of different species of fruits which shall be 

 better adapted to withstand the rigors of our winters and scorching heats 

 and drouths of our summers, has induced the Executive Board of this 

 Society to create a committee whose special duty it shall be to look up 

 these new fruits which have been introduced into the State, and ascertain 

 and report upon their characteristics. 



Your committee realize that this is an important duty, yet one of the 

 most difficult of satisfactory accomplishment ; for the name of the new 

 candidates for favor is "legion." 



Nevertheless, we enter upon the task hopefully, trusting that the 

 creation of this committee will open a new era in fruit-culture in Illinois ; 

 that the v/ork thus begun will be persevered in by this Society until fresh 

 and wholesome fruits, the product of our own Prairie State, will be found 

 in our markets and upon the tables of rich and poor alike throughout the 

 entire year. 



This end, Mr. President, we believe to be attainable, and for it let 

 us labor. 



Apples. — The great desideratum in fruit-culture — the one which 

 entirely overshadows all others, with us, is the discovery of a variety of 

 apple which shall combine the hardiness and productiveness of the Ben 

 Davis tree with fruit which shall keep fresh until the ripening of the 

 strawberry, and whose flesh and juices shall rival those of the Newtown 

 Pippin. At the same time there is great room for improvement, both in 

 tree and fruit, of varieties ripening from harvest-time till March. 



We are happy to be able to report that much progress has already 

 been made — several varieties having been introduced and locally tested 

 which promise well for the future of apple-growing. 



Wythe. — "The Wythe is undoubtedly a seedling from Rawles' Janet, 

 as the tree resembles the Janet tree in appearance — bark, leaf and growth;" 

 it has also the characteristics of that tree in putting out both leaves and 

 blossoms later than other sorts. The fruit is much larger and better in 

 quality than its supposed parent and keeps equally long, i. e., till April 



