STATE HOBTICULTUKAIi SOCIETY. 241 



REPORT OF McHENRY COUNTY— By J. S. Rogers, Marengo. 



(Being a part of Report of First District, pages 7-16.) 



H. C. Graves, Committee. — Dear Sir, — I had hoped that the report on the " Status 

 of Horticuhure" would have been made by some abler and better-posted person than 

 myself. However, I will endeavor to give you the results of what I have been able to 

 glean from my own observation. 



Altogether, the past season has not been an unfavorable one as regards fruit. The 

 trees and plants came out of winter in good condition, and gave promise of good crops; 

 but the cold, dry, backward spring evidently cut short the crop of large fruits; the trees 

 blossomed out well and in good season, but were held in check some ten days or more 

 by cold weather, which caused the blossoms to wither. 



Apples were a light crop, and were about ruined by a severe drouth during August 

 and September, by which they were delayed in maturing, and consequently will not 

 keep. 



There were no Pears or Phinis worth mentioning in the county. 

 Cherries of Early Richmond and English Morello varieties bore good crops, more 

 than sufficient to supply the home market, the average price being about two dollars 

 per bushel. The mahaleb and morello stocks are what we use here ; the mazzard is a 

 failure in our soil. 



Strawberries bore a heavy crop of luscious fruit, the Wilson's Albany, Hovey's 

 Seedling, Chas. Downing and Col. Cheney being the leading varieties. 



Raspberries, especially the black-caps and purple-cane, gave good crops, and were 

 in every way a success. 



The Concord Grape outdid itself, for never was such a heavy crop of such excel- 

 lent fruit seen here or elsewhere in the county; Rogers' Hybrids Nos. 4, 1 6 and 23, 

 and also Delaware, lona, Martha and Isabella, fruited in favored localities. 

 Currants and Gooseberries bore about as usual. 

 Blackberries were a failure. 



Considerable interest is manifested in setting out shade-trees, the Elm and Ash-leaf 

 maple taking the lead. Occasionally some one on the prairie indulges in what is termed 

 a "timber-belt," but which is in reality only a wind-brake, using such trees as can be 

 had the cheapest, as Soft maple, willow, etc., but when once grown he would not 

 dispense with it. 



There were no insects in the orchard to any extent, except the canker-worm, and 

 that is easily eradicated : one pound of Paris-green in forty gallons of water, applied 

 with a force-pump, will "fix it," the above amount being sufficient for one hundred 

 good-sized orchard trees. Everybody in this vicinity that is troubled with the pest, and 

 that cares for his orchard, is using this remedy with the best of success. 



The Cabbage-worm has ruined all the cabbage in this part of the country, and so 

 far no remedy is found to stop its ravages, it being a new pest here. 



VARIETIES OF FRUIT BEST ADAPTED TO THIS SECTION. 



Apples. — Golden Russet, R. Janet, B. Davis, Domine, Bethlemite, Pewaukee, 

 Walbridge, T. Sweet, Winesap, Plumb's Cider, Wagoner, N. Spy, Jonathan, Snow, 

 Maiden's Blush, Lowell, Fall Winesap, Bailey Sweet, St. Lawrence, Haas, Saxton, 

 Fall Orange, Benoni, Astrachan, Duchess, Sops of Wine, C. R. June, Sweet June, 

 Cole's Quince, Tetofsky, Early Joe. 



Siberian Crabs. — Transcendent, Hyslop, Whitney's No. 20, Fay's Joe, Brier's Sweet. 



Pears. — Flemish Beauty, Bartleit, Buffum. 



Plums. — Miner, Wild Goose, Lombard. 



Grapes. — Concord, Delaware, lona. 



Raspberries. — (Black-caps) Miami, Doolittle and Davison's Thornless ; (Red) 

 Turner, Purple Cane, Philadelphia. 



Blackberries. — Snyder, Kittatinny. 



Strawberries. — Wilson, Russell's Prolific, Hovey's Seedling, Charles Downing, 

 Col. Cheney. 



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