160 r TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



STRAWBERRIES. 



In regard to the new varieties of strawberries grown here for the 

 past three years, I will say that May King, Warfield and Jessie 

 are the most favored. We have had a severe drouth here the 

 past two seasons while the berries were maturing and the test has 

 not been a fair one. 



As to cherries, plums, raspberries and blackberries, we have 

 nothing new worthy of reporting. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Thomas — I have grown the Moore's Early for five years, 

 and have had none of them rot. The Niagara rotted some this 

 season, but I attributed that to the heavy rams we have had, 

 and I advise in planting for market, to plant Moore's Early. It 

 is very hardy, at least in five years I have not had them winter 

 killed. It is not so productive as the Niagara, but it is fine and 

 comes early. 



Mr. Baxter — We have raised grapes at Nauvoo since 1858. 

 We have 500 acres in grapes and have tried everything, but have 

 not found anything to resist the rot. Moore's Early and Ives* 

 Seedling are good grapes. Of the Norton, we raise a moderate 

 crop in a fair season. Ives' Seedling beats everything on the 

 list for a grape year after year. We have lost only one crop of 

 that in nineteen years. The Early Victor is not giving satisfac- 

 tion ; it is not a vigorous grower, is a shy bearer and a small 

 grape. The Empire State I have had for three years, and it has 

 rotted the three years. 



Mr. Kiehl — As to the Moore's Early being a poor bearer, I 

 will say that they need special treatment. There is some diffi- 

 culty from using too large canes. The Keifer and Carver's Hy- 

 brid Pear are mentioned. In some places the Keifer has been 

 run down on account of its quality, and I have done that myself; 

 but this year I have grown some of the Keifer, and I took them 

 from the stem and ripened them in drawers, and found them a 

 very good pear, and other parties who came to my house and 

 examined them pronounced them the same. They are very pro- 

 ductive, and the only trouble I see is that they are likely to 

 produce too much fruit, and when they overbear they are insipid. 

 It is very large and beautiful, and such a pear as it is is a 

 good thing, and I wish I had thousands of them growing. The 



