4A TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Constantinople. In the early times in this country the chief 

 product of the Indians was corn, and it has descended until the 

 present time when it is still the chief farm product. 



Rice is from Asia, and has formed the chief article of food of 

 China and India for many years. It was raised in large quanti- 

 ties in Carolina before slavery was abolished. The cultivation of 

 rice was the most unhealthful work in which the slaves were en- 

 gaged. It needs a very moist soil, and at certain times of the 

 year immense quantities of water were allowed to flow over the 

 rice fields and remain several months. The water was then re- 

 moved and the slaves were immediately set at work, sometimes 

 ankle deep in mud, with their heads exposed to the hot rays of 

 the sun, and it was not strange that many of them would soon 

 succumb to this exposure. 



Although grain has much to do with the food of the world, 

 fruit is the most agreeable food known. The most important of 

 our fruits were formerly the product of warmer countries, but by 

 the art of cultivation they have become acclimated to temperate 

 regions. 



The Greeks and Romans introduced many important fruits 

 into Italy from the many countries which they conquered. They 

 also spread the peach, apple, plum, pear, cherry and many other 

 fruits over Europe, and from Europe they have gradually been 

 introduced into America. In the time of Elizabeth the cultiva- 

 tion of fruit advanced very rapidly. The Queen herself being 

 very much interested in it, set a good example as a horticulturist, 

 Also great advantage in the cultivation of fruit has been derived 

 from the establishment of horticultural societies. 



The peach is one of the beauties of nature. Its perfect shape, 

 beautiful color and delicious taste rank it among the highest of 

 our fruits. According to the earliest history that we find of the 

 peach, it was a native of Persia. From Persia it was introduced 

 into Egypt during a war between those two countries, but the 

 Egyptians regarded it with distrust as they supposed the King of 

 Persia had sent them to poison the inhabitants. It was intro- 

 duced into Italy in the time of Claudius, and in England in 1550. 

 Peaches are often cultivated in large quantities. In Montreuil, 

 a village of France, almost the whole population were employed 

 in growing peaches, which has maintained the inhabitants for 

 ages. They were brought to America in 1680, and they have been 

 one of the leading fruits in this country ever since. 



The cherry was also introduced into Europe by the Romans, 

 but they appear to be natives of most temperate regions in the 

 northern hemisphere. It was a great favorite in England in the 

 time of Henry VIII, when it was cultivated in immense orchards. 



The orange is a very useful fruit, and although it is the product 

 of countries much warmer than our own we are enabled by com- 

 merce to obtain it almost as cheaply as our own fruit. Ifi some 



