132 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



I have not had the experience of some others in horticulture. Last 

 year I marketed two thousand five hundred bushels of apples, or rather 

 they were sold in the orchard, at forty cents per bushel. The refused 

 apples were made into cider and vinegar, and sold at twelve and one-half 

 cents per gallon, barrels furnished. 



Mr. Wier — This matter of utilizing fruits is an important one. I 

 would be glad to hear from Mr. Hilliard, who, I am told, sells his cider 

 at fifteen dollars per barrel. Now, if I could get ten dollars per barrel 

 I would be satisfied. I think the conversion of apples into cider is one 

 of the most profitable ways of utilizing them ; but I have not a great 

 deal of faith in the drying of fruits, though perhaps by some of these 

 cheaper appliances it can be done with profit. The indications are now 

 that we shall have some fruit next year, and we want to know what to do 

 with it. I advise all who can, to attend the meeting of the Northern 

 Horticultural Society at Crystal Lake, in January. You will there see 

 one of the largest canning establishments in the country ; they have also 

 a drying establishment connected with the business. These are some of 

 the ways of utilizing fruit that we want to investigate. 



Dr. Long — I would like to hear from Mr. Hilliard. 



Mr. Hilliard (of Macoupin county) — I have on former occasions 

 brought before this Society all the facts I have in reference to my cider 

 making. The main thing is to have good sound winter apples to make 

 good cider that will keep well. Any apples that will keep through the 

 winter will make cider that will keep. We usually sell out before the first 

 of June, and have no trouble in keeping it good till that time, though it is 

 no stronger than ginger pop. We have no difficulty in selling out three 

 hundred barrels at good prices. We never can keep it beyond June, 

 because of the demand upon us for it. We have a process of refining it, 

 by the use of a preparation of fish glue — the same substance out of which 

 isinglass is made. We have kept our cider for eight years by bottling 

 it. There is no mystery or secret about the thing. The chief thing is 

 to have sound late-keeping apples. 



Dr. Long — Where is your market ? 



Mr. Hilliard — Chicago, St. Louis and towns along the railroads. 



Mr. Huggins — I have given some attention, for the past {tw years, to 

 this subject of utilizing fruits. The fact is, however, we have not had 

 much fruit to utilize for some years ; so this matter has not given us 

 much trouble. My feeling is to-day that, if the good Lord will give us 

 a good crop of fruit, I shall make the money. I have an orchard of 

 sixty-five acres, and all I ask is the crop and health to manipulate it. I 



