SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 351 



first came to this section, a good many years ago, I shipped in 

 $800 or $900 worth of pear trees from the east and retailed them 

 out to the farmers and people in this vicinity, and many of them 

 have made quite a success in growing pears. I have certainly 

 been successful and shall plant more trees. 



Mr. Woodard — I have tested the pear pretty thoroughly in the 

 vicinity of Marengo, and know that it is not a success there. 



Mr. Bryant — 1 think there are a few parties who make a suc- 

 cess of growing the pear, in certain localities where the soils 

 and conditions seem to be especially adapted to its growth. 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 



BY D. J. PIPER. 



The bright little strawberry so modestly blushing in its lowly 

 bed — the loveliest of all Pomona's sweet gifts to mortals — is still 

 an object of admiration by all lovers of the beatiful in nature, 

 and is a most delicious morsel to the palate of the surfeited epi- 

 cure and the starving beggar alike. Its presence upon the table is 

 welcomed with delight by all and an appreciation of its important 

 position as an article of diet has been for many years, and still is 

 increasing. Hence, there has arisen an almost universal desire 

 among the growers of fruit, unpredecented perhaps in the his- 

 tory of any other species of fruit, for a knowledge of the best 

 conditions for, and modes of its culture, and of the varieties best 

 adapted to grow for distant markets, for near markets and for 

 the grower's own use. 



I can answer the question to a certain degree by saying, have 

 the strawberries well ripened for your own use, well colored for a 

 near market aud only about half ripe for a distant market and 

 they will color inside of twenty hours. All these subjects have 

 been so thoroughly and so frequently discussed that there is but 

 little left to be said, except that scarcely any two writers agree 

 upon all points and the seeker after information can after all do 

 little better than to read all the literature within his reach, treat- 

 ing upon these matters, inform himself as to the probable integ- 

 rity of each writer, the place, the soil, the mode of cultivation 

 given in each case, with results in quality and quantity of fruit. 



If he then use his best judgment in the selection and cultiva- 

 tion of six varieties, and finds them all to meet his reasonable ex- 

 pectations, he may consider the day of miracles is not yet passed 

 or that investments in lottery tickets are tolerably safe ones. 

 Yet one or two among his six sorts would probably be among the 

 very best for his use. I have always insisted and must still repeat 



