86 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



can there readily learn to detect this enemy; also in volume eight several 

 pages are devoted to it, where is given a list of varieties of grapes exempt 

 from its attacks. 



Mr. Whitaker (of Warsaw) — We have never experienced such a 

 root-killing as in the killing of the wheat last winter. The tops looked 

 well enough, but the roots were dead ; the same root-killing was extended 

 also to our nurseries. I want to ask this question, What was the cause of 

 this root-killing? We have experienced colder weather than last winter, 

 but never have we experienced such a loss of the wheat crop. What 

 was the cause of this root-killing? for the wheat was killed in the root, 

 while the top looked well. Tell us the cause. 



Dr. Warder — It is an old saying, "If the sun rises in the East, you 

 must look to the East for light." If the wheat of Illinois was killed in 

 the root, as we are told it was, we must go to the roots to look for the 

 cause; and Mr. Whitaker is, perhaps, best able to answer this question. 



Mr. Whitaker — The explanation we give is this : The ground, 

 being very dry, absorbed the moisture from the roots of the wheat plant 

 and the young fruit trees spoken of, and the drought continuing, the roots 

 died. This is the only explanation we have of the matter. 



Mr. McWhorter — The explanation, I think, is the right one. 



Mr. Ira Coe (of Quincy), invited the members of the Society to 

 call at a neighboring store and examine his fruit gatherer. 



Mr Starr — I will say that I have practically tested this fruit gatherer, 

 and I would not be without it. You can gather four times as much fruit 

 with it as you could in the jld way of hand-picking; it is practical and 

 worthy of your attention. 



On motion the Society then adjourned. 



WEDNESDAY EVENING. 



The convention opened at the usual hour, and the regular order of 

 business was resumed. 



Prof. BuRRiLL, of the Committee on Botany and Vegetable Physiology, 

 had telegraphed that he had missed connections of trains and could not 

 arrive this evening. 



REPORT ON FLORICULTURE. 



Mrs. Josephine M. Milligan, of Jacksonville, from Committee 

 on Floriculture, presented the following report, which was read by the 

 Secretary, entitled 



