ILLINOIS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 219 



JULY MEETING. 



The Alton-Southern Illinois Horticultural Society met and en- 

 joyed the cordial hospitality of Mr. Win, Armstrong, on Satur- 

 day, July 6th. Mr. Armstrong's pleasant home is situated on 

 State Street Hill, in the northern limits of Alton city, and stands 

 in a fine natural grove ; some of the tree trunks are covered with 

 a fine growth of American Ivy, and are very pretty. The hand- 

 some grounds are enclosed with hedges of arbor vita?, Pyrus 

 Japonica and Russian mulberry. Altogether it is an ideal su- 

 burban home. Mr. A., on being asked if he was not a happy 

 man, said that he did not know, but those who knew him sup- 

 posed him to be so; and surely he should be so, if happiness is 

 ever attained on earth. 



The day was perfect and brought out a large attendance. 



ORCHARDS. 



Mr. Riehl — The apple crop seems to be short on most varieties, 

 peaches are generally better, but where very full last year the 

 crop is light. Early peaches have rotted badly and sold poorly. 

 I consider early peaches a nuisance and shall never grow any 

 more. Pears are fine, not overloaded, but have just a good crop. 



Mr. Hollard — Apple crop very light. 



Mr. Hilliard— Prospect for a crop of apples with me not 

 so good as at the time of last meeting. The early varieties 

 are very full and small. Winter varieties not full, peaches are 

 loaded with fruit and bugs. Apples were considerably damaged 

 by hail. 



Mr. Browne — With me everything that bore excessively last 

 year is light this, and vice versa; pears all full except Seckel, 

 these almost a failure. Messrs. Challacombe, Copley, and Dr. 

 Roberts have converted their apple orchards into the wood pile, 

 think they will pay better there than anywhere else. 



Capt. E. Hollister — We have on the stand to-day some very 

 nice looking peaches, but their excellence is confined to looks. 

 Bite one, and your vision of bliss is quickly dispelled, eat half a 

 dozen and the probabilities are that you will soon have cause to 

 regret it. I have found all these early peaches a nuisance. 

 They always rot badly, and later in the season would be pro- 



