!]:> TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



fruit crop must be attributed, first, to the last winter's cold (though it was not so bad as 

 two years before), to late frosts in the spring, and frequent heavy rains during the blos- 

 soming time, and afterwards. 



" I shall now report upon the different kinds and varieties of fruit-bearing trees 

 and shrubs, and other plants, which we cultivate, and which I have had an opportunity 

 to observe, mentioning particularly those which I have found to be valuable. 



'^Apples. — Summer: Red Astrachan, Yellow Harvest, Red June, White June, 

 Summer Bellflower, Maiden's Blush. A Summer Rose, brought here from Switzerland, 

 bears, with me, enormous crops every alternate year, is ripe about the first of August, is 

 of medium size, fine (red striped) color, good quality, though rather tart; sells well; 

 tree well formed and a strong grower. 



" Fall and Early Winter : Rambo, Pennsylvania Redstreak, Yellow Bellflower, 

 Golden Russet, Pennock (Big Romanite) — this is not of first quality. 



" Winter and Spring : Rawle's Janet, Small Romanite (Gilpin), Ben Davis, Esopus 

 Spitzenburgh, White Winter Pearmain (is often scabby, but of good quality — not fine 

 enough for a good market fruit), Pryor's Red, Winesap, Limber Twig, Milam, Priestley 

 (is not of first quality, but a good keeper, sells well, owing to its fine size, a regular but 

 not abundant bearer). The (ireen Pippin does not do very well here; it is injured by 

 bitter (black) rot on the tree. The Yellow Newtown Pippin is a better and more 

 profitable fruit. 



" Of the Siberian Crabs, I have tried Transcendent, Cherry and Hislop — all good 

 bearers, fine for preserves, iellies, and such like. Also different Cider Crabs, particu- 

 larly one which is called here Pennsylvania Crab (is it Hewes' Virginia Crab?); supe- 

 rior to all others for cider, a small, oblate, flattened, pale green apple, with light red 

 stripes, thin and long stem ; acerb taste. 



" I have many other varieties of apples under trial, and among them several 

 seedlings of my own, but am not yet prepared to give an opinion about them. 



" Pears. — Of this fruit I have no great experience, as it is not many years since I 

 have cultivated a considerable number of varieties, and they are, mostly, not yet in 

 bearing. Generally, pears are not lai-gely planted here, owing to the blight, which de- 

 stroys so many trees when they are beginning to bear fruit. I have found the Bai'tlett to 

 be one of the most reliable ; Seckel was killed by the blight, with me, and also various 

 other varieties. Flemish Beauty, grafted on the limbs of a large tree which bore fruit 

 of no value, is doing well enough, though not quite free from blight; it is bearing eveiy 

 year. Louise Bonne de Jersey, Vicar of Winkfield, and Easter Beurre, planted in my 

 garden, died with blight when they commenced bearing fruil. Since then I planted all 

 my pear trees, mostly standards, in the sod, where they grow slowly, but are nearly 

 always free from blight. 



" Peaches. — Most peach trees here were killed by the cold winter three years ago, 

 or, at least, greatly injured, and for this reason bore very little since then. I have set 

 out many new varieties, but they have not showed any fruit yet. Among the old ones 

 I could recommend : Troth's Early, Early York, Indian Cling, Mixon Cling and Free- 

 stone, Stump the World, Crawford's Late, and Heath Cling. 



" Cherries. — The Bigarreau varieties are nearly all tender here, except in a few 

 particularly favorable situations, which are the highest that can be found. There, some 

 of them have withstood even the most severe winters. These are, I believe. Governor 

 Wood and Black Tartarian. The Dukes are hardier, but even May Duke was killed 

 on my farm by the winter of 1872-3. The Early Richmond is the only one that has 

 proved perfectly hardy with me, for even the common Morello has suffered from the most 

 severe winter's cold. I am trying some new varieties, reputed to be hardy, but as yet 

 have had no experience with them. 



" Plums. — I have found none yet which withstand the attacks of the Curculio 

 except the Chickasaw ; am trying the Wild Goose, which is a Chickasaw, too. 



" Quinces. — Of these, the common apple, or Orange quince, is doing well here, 

 when well tended ; it is hardy, as well as the Angers quince, whose fruit I have never 

 seen. The Portugal has proved rather tender with me. 



