294 TRANSACTIONS OP THE HORTICULTURAL 



curtain aside, in the northeast corner we see a large peach tree 

 which the owner called the red-cheeked orange; the cheek was of 

 the deepest carmine, the flesh was the deepest chrome. Now 

 draw the curtain middleway to south, there stands the lemon-lime, 

 looking much like a large lemon in size and color, and were used 

 for the winter preserves. Now shove the rings together; see the 

 beauty of all beauties — the red clingstone. No pen can describe 

 nor artist's brush paint the richness of that tree, as it stood there 

 with its five or six bushels of luscious, juicy fruit. Thus far I 

 have only told what this fruit was to the eye; what must it have 

 been to the taste? Ask the old schoolmates, Mort and Ruben, 

 Clemmie and Frank; they, with me, have not forgotten, nor will 

 forget. Opposite the lime-peach, about middle way, was a plum 

 thicket — the blue damson, the green gage, the big blue horse plum, 

 the yellow preserving, the sloe and a few native wild, stood to- 

 gether, budding, blossoming and ripening. The fruit was large 

 and abundant. A worm in one was a curiosity, and a dozen little 

 heads might be seen examining the rarity. 



There were beds for flowers. Such flowers ! Were there ever 

 such poppies, such sweet-williams, merigolds, nasturtium? Alas! 

 like the judge's strawberries, they were child's eyes that looked 

 at them. Conspicuous among these was the tomato, cultivated 

 for its beauty, but too poisonous to eat. In the north corner was 

 a raspberry plat, mostly wild blackcaps, some red and a few 

 yellowcaps. To the south a wild strawberry bed. All around 

 next the fence were currants and gooseberries, so abundantly full 

 every season they dried on the bushes. Now and then an old 

 Morello cherry tree grew close to the fence, so full of the ripe 

 black fruit and so superior to many of tne new. Here, the birds of 

 every name, warbled and sung, flitting about in tree and bush, 

 building their nests. What a picture of peace, happiness, comfort 

 and prosperity is brought before us. It brings youth back with all 

 its freshness, and we can almost feel the soft touch of beautiful 

 hands that are now at rest. With reverence and sadly we draw 

 the Curtain, leaving it hung on memory's wall, which no time can 

 ever erase. 



It was my mother's garden. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FRUIT EXHIBIT. 



Your committee takes pleasure in calling the attention to the- 

 display of twenty-four varieties of apples exhibited by G. W. 

 McCluer of the Experiment Station at Champaign. The apples, 

 which were in excellent condition, we are informed, have been, 

 kept in an ordinary cellar without special care. 



D. H. Gray, 

 G. W. Minier, 



Committee. 



