lg6 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



and \\\e yellowest apple I ever saw, with waxen appearance; is more juicy 

 than its parent Siberian; a fine dessert fruit when fully ripe. When 

 cooked, as we serve them — by coring only — the skin is so thin that it 

 dissolves with the fruit; is sweet enough when stewed to need but little 

 sugar; for jelly and apple-butter it is the finest fruit that I ever knew." 

 It ripens middle of August. Mrs. Jameson, who gave me, the last Sep- 

 tember, the only remaining specimen of the fruit, said she was familiar 

 with Transcendent and Hyslop, and regarded the yellow seedling as 

 decidedly superior to either. 



Several seedlings originating with Dr. Andrews, of McHenry county, 

 were brought to notice a few years since, of which one called Chicago 

 and another called Marengo, a winter crab-apple, were highly extolled; 

 but as the entire stock was sold to an Eastern nurseryman we have seen 

 nothing since concerning them, except in the said nurseryman's catalogue. 



Plums. — There seems to be little, if any, progress making in varieties 

 of plums ; the Miner and Wild Goose, of recent introduction, prove so 

 fickle and variable as to disappoint and disgust nearly all who have 

 attempted to obtain fruit from them. 



Cherries. — Nothing new in the varieties of cherries had appeared 

 in many years worthy of note until Mr. Wier, of Marshall county, through 

 extensive experiments with seedlings of the Early May cherry, produced a 

 few excellent varieties. One of these, which he has named " Northwest," 

 seems, thus far, to combine more excellent qualities than its parent. The 

 tree is very hardy, more symmetrical in growth than Early May, is a 

 regular and abundant bearer of fruit of about the size of the parent, 

 though in shape resembling May Duke, is firmer and richer than E. May. 



Peaches and Pears. — I am not aware that there have been any 

 decidedly superior varieties of either peaches or pears lately introduced, 

 except those which h^ve already been discussed, and their merits put upon 

 record by this Society. 



The Amsden, Alexander, Beatrice, Early Louise and Early Rivers 

 peaches have all been commended by some. The Alexander and Amsden 

 have become, I think, quite popular as early market sorts. 



The Birkitt and Wilkinson's winter pears are commended by those 

 who are familiar with the habits of the trees as hardier or less liable to 

 blight than any of the older sorts; though the quality of the Birkitt fruit 

 is inferior to the average of cultivated varieties. 



Grapes. — Champion, Brighton and Perkins seem to be the most 

 desirable varieties among grapes of recent introduction, being hardy and 

 prolific in vine, and the fruit of good quality. The fruit of the Perkins, 

 however, becomes quite foxy if allowed to become overripe. Martha 

 proves a valuable white grape for the northern portion of the State, 

 though its foxiness is objectionable. Lady has been found too slow and 

 feeble in growth for profitable cultivation ; though there are some excep- 

 tions to this. 



Quite a number of Rogers' Hybrids fully sustain the claims made 

 for them several years since: notably the Goethe (No. i), Wilder (No. 4), 



