SOCIETY OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. 265 



American author, that there is a great deal of human nature in 

 a hog, or else a great deal of hog in human nature. How eagerly 

 each works for himself. There is, it must be granted, one trait 

 in a hog that is praiseworthy and might be worthy of imitation 

 by men. He will plunge into the real estate business, and if by 

 good luck, pluck, or audacity, he gets more on his sides and back 

 than his neighbor, he don't put on airs, and don't seem to esteem 

 himself any the greater for his success. 



Our friend and neighbor, Mr. Geo. W. Orendorff, has got up 

 a devise to intercept the curculio in his mischievous habits, to 

 which I call especial attention. Every step in the direction of 

 fruit culture is a blessing ; and every man or woman who aids in 

 fruit raising ought to be classed among philanthropists. 



"Never surrender," must be the motto of the horticulturist, 

 clean surface cultivation his practice, and on Heaven's assurance 

 his faith may rest: " In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat." 



In conclusion, Mr. President and members of this society, will 

 you permit me to make the following confession : 



I was a teacher of schools until 1850. In the adjoining city of 

 Bloomington are many who still express thanks for what I taught 

 them. From childhood I have been a lover of Nature, and early 

 resolved to be, 



" Slave to no sect, to seek no private road, 

 But look through Nature up to Nature's God." 



I became a member of the agricultural and horticultural socie- 

 ties of your State to learn the arts of agriculture and horticul- 

 ture. And when my friends, as they sometimes do, admire the 

 trees which these hands have planted and cultivated, and thank 

 me for the fruit they eat at my board, I say, tacitly, these friends 

 don't know that they are not so much indebted to me as they 

 are to the agricultural and horticultural societies of Illinois. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Augustine — Mr. Minier tells us that plum trees should be 

 planted in groups. What is the advantage of this method? 



Mr. Minier — Some varieties of plums are not self-fertilizing, 

 and while one or two trees may be fertilized by bees, we are 

 never sure of a crop unless they are planted near other varieties. 

 Nature plants in groups, and it is always safe to imitate her 

 methods. 



Mr. Gaston — Many years ago I sold a Wild Goose plum to a 

 man in Putnam County and by accident he set it near a thicket 

 of wild plums and for years it has borne enormously. Prof. 



