288 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



Coming to the question of varieties, which is a very important 

 one, I would say in general terms select such as have given the 

 best results in the past and whose record of hardiness has with- 

 stood reasonable tests. To more specifically invite your atten- 

 tion and provoke discussion, I herewith enumerate the list for 

 Central Illinois recommended by the State Society at its annual 

 meetings of '87 and '88. 



Summer. R. Astrachan, Benoni, Duchess. 



Fall. Maiden's Blush, Wealthy and Ramsdell's Sweet. 



Early Winter. Jonathan, and Grimes' Golden. 



Late Winter. Minkler, Willow, Ben Davis. 



For summer the Sops of Wine, and Golden Sweet also do well. 



To the fall list could be added many good varieties as Haas, 

 Fall Orange, Snow, Stannard and Bailey's Sweet. 



For winter, the Rome Beauty, Rawle's Janet, White Pippin 

 and Roman Stem are in many cases desirable. 



For a list of ten varieties for Central Illinois I would select for 

 a farmer's orchard of fifty trees as follows : 



Summer. Two Benoni, two Duchess, two Red Astrachan. 



Fall. Two Snow, two Maiden's Blush, two Wealthy. 



Early Winter. Five Jonathan, five Roman Stem. 



Late Winter. Fourteen Minkler, fourteen Willow. 



The Golden Sweet for summer, Ramsdell's Sweet for fall and 

 Tallman's Sweet for winter are in my opinion the best sweet ap- 

 ples for this section of the state, and two trees of each could 

 profitably occupy a place in the family orchard. 



The Early Richmond Cherry is the only cherry that gives sat- 

 isfaction in this section. Grafted or budded on the common 

 Morrello stock, the trees will bear two or three times as much 

 fruit as when budded on the Mahaleb. This latter is the stock 

 usually made use of by nurserymen, and the trees improve in 

 bearing with age. If set deep, or ridged up after setting, they 

 are soon on their own roots, and bear as well as on the Morrello. 



The pear trees should be seeded down to grass early, as they 

 seem to be benefitted rather than injured by blue grass. They 

 appear to blight less when in sod than when under cultivation. 

 The list of pears given by the State Society is a good one for this 

 section — Flemish Beauty, Howell, Tyson, Seckel and Keifer. 



For peach trees, I would recommend the planting of pits from 

 the Crawford and other standard varieties. 



Meeting as we do in this city of nurserymen, this subject should 

 bring out discussion. I have found that the people are more to 

 blame than nurserymen in the selection of varieties and the intro- 

 duction of novelties. People insist upon being swindled, and 

 will insist upon having something out of the usual line, at fancy 

 prices. There is no nursery so well established but what some 

 conscienceless tree peddler can come and sell trees right under 

 his nose to his immediate neighbors at double the prices for 



