TRANSACTIONS HORTICULTL UAL SOCIETY OF NOIITIIEUN 11,1,. 345 



share of our apples. I have tried pasturing hogs in the orchard ; it im- 

 proved the fruit, but the hogs destroyed the trees by rubbing against thL-ni, 

 and in many instances girdling them ; this remedy is worse than the 

 disease. Keep the hogs out of the orchards. Do not allow any animal 

 to run in them if you wish to save your trees ; we will have to wait for 

 some efificient means of destroying the moths, or for some insect to destroy 

 them for us. Last year the moth did much less damage than usual ; what 

 apples we had were nearly free from them. Was it the season being wet 

 and cold, or are they disapi)earing? I trust some reason will be given, at 

 this meeting, why they were not as numerous as usual. 



Thus far, with the exception of the earlier seedling orchards, the 

 cultivation of apples has not been a success — pecuniarily or otherwise. 

 With us our grafted orchards do not bear well, and could they all be cut 

 down to-day, with the knowledge and experience we now have, in ten 

 years we would be farther ahead in profitable orchards than we will be 

 under present circumstances. 



We have many fine, large seedling orchards that bear heavy crops, 

 but most of the fruit is inferior in quality, much of it only being fit for 

 cider and vinegar. These orchards generally have one or more trees in 

 each that produce a good quality of fruit, and bear good annual crops ; 

 and from such trees must come our future orchards, with a very few 

 varieties we now have of propagated apples, which are worthy of cultiva- 

 tion. From the size, vigor and general health of these trees, we may hope 

 for more successful orchards in the future. 1 believe that a brighter day 

 is coming for the fruit culturist in Northern Illinois; that, by and by, 

 when we have eradicated the worthless varieties, and replaced them with 

 our best seedlings, we will not only have plenty of fruit to use, but plenty 

 to spare. 



DISCUSSION ON APPLE ORCHARDS. 



Mr. McWhorter — There is one portion of Mr. Austin's essay which 

 should not pass without notice, namely, that in which he claims that 

 seedling orchards are more healthy and productive than grafted ones. I 

 claim that this is a mistake. Take such cultivated varieties as Red June, 

 Sweet June, Ben Davis, Wagoner, Keswick Codlin, Duchess of Olden- 

 burg, and others that I might name, and I will bet on them every time as 

 against the seedlings. 



While Mr. McWhorter was talking, several members interjected 

 names of cultivated varieties which bear heavy crops, and are hardy. 



A general discussion here ensued ui)on the manuring of orchards, in 

 which nearly all the speakers agreed that manure is nee<jed after the trees 

 have come well into bearing. Seeding to clover, rather than any other 

 grass, was recommended where ground was rich, after the trees had been 

 in orchard from five to eight years. 



