TRANSACTIONS OF KANKAKEE COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIKTY. 383 



societies at our county fair, and read a letter from the Alton Horticul- 

 tural Society in regard to exhibiting fruit, etc., and his answer to same. 

 The President said he had not been able to consult the Executive Com- 

 mittee and had taken the responsibility upon himself to make such sug- 

 gestions to competing societies as to him seemed proper to facilitate their 

 exhibition at our county fair. 



Mr. Cooper made a motion indorsing the action of the President 

 in the premises, which was approved by the Society. 



Mr. Miner said he was appointed a committee to select fruits for the 

 Society from the east part of the county, and would like to have dona- 

 tions of fruit. 



The President called upon members for information in relation to 

 fruit prospects in their several localities. 



Dr. Small said apples were almost a failure with him, and but few in 

 his vicinity. 



Mr. McKinstry said he had no fruit of any consequence ; what there 

 was was good ; among pears, the Duchess is the best. 



Mr. Stoddard said he had a fair show of apples ; orchard well pro- 

 tected by natural forest. 



Question by Mr. McKinstry. — Has the proximity of the river any- 

 thing to do with it? 



Mr. Stoddard did not know ; thought trees near the river bore better 

 than those back, at a distance, from the river. 



The President remarked that Mr. Brady, of Kankakee, had told him, 

 as long as the river was open the temperature was several degrees higher 

 near the river than it was back some distance from it ; when the river was 

 frozen over there was no preceptible difference. 



Mr. Mellen said in his vicinity summer and fall apples were tolerably 

 plenty. Winter fruit scarce. The Ortly does very well with him; Sops 

 of Wine trees were full, as also the Bailey Sweet. 



Mr. McKinstry said the Bailey Sweet bore well with him this year; 

 Domine did tolerably well, so also did the Rambos. 



Question by Mr. Drayer. — Did the trees bloom well last spring? 



Mr. McKinstry. — Did not; orchard is protected by artificial timber 

 belts; had succeeded this year in raising some Bellflowers by girdling the 

 limbs; used a common pruning saw; just sawed through the bark. 



Mr. Cooper says with him the girdling process was a failure; could 

 see no difference. 



Mr. Chatfield being called upon said, I am not a member of your 

 Society. I live on a farm and have an orchard; used to raise some apples. 

 Some one told me I ought to trim my trees; let an old professor of prun- 

 ing trim my orchard, and have had no fruit since of any consequence; 

 have come to the conclusion never to trim an orchard in this country, and 

 especially when old, and never cut off a large limb. Had some summer 

 and fall apples. Red Astrachan bore pretty well. No winter fruit. 



The President made some remarks on pruning — he said his father 

 bought a farm with a large orchard on it ; the limbs were low down ; he cut 

 them off so as to drive under them and the trees soon commenced to die. 



