TRANSACTIONS OF ALTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 293 



MAY MEETING. 



The May meeting was held May 6th, at Capt. D. Stewart's, near 

 Upper Alton, and there were the usual essays and discussions. 



The prospects for fruit, from the reports made, were not very encour- 

 aging. The bloom on the peach trees would seem to indicate a half crop, 

 but in many cases there are no leaves pushing beyond the fruit bud to 

 support the fruit, and it is a question whether we shall have any peaches. 

 Sweet cherries are killed ; blackberries, a poor half crop ; the same with 

 raspberries ; some varieties of grapes are injured, but there is a promise 

 of a fair crop ; apples have sustained little injury. In Southern and 

 Northern Illinois the report comes to us that all fruits are much more 

 seriously injured than with us. Letters were read from Messrs. Brown 

 and Forbes, from Southern Illinois, which were discouraging in the 

 extreme to fruit men. 



Dr. Hull called attention to the early appearance of the apple 

 louse — coming a month earlier than usual — and its sudden disappearance. 

 This was the month, he said, in which to use lime in the orchard, to 

 prevent the codling-moth from injuring the fruit. The method of use 

 was to scatter the lime in the tops of the trees while the dew was on, or 

 just after a rain. 



Washing with soft soap, made hot, will protect your trees from the 

 borer that infests the limbs. 



The damage done to vegetables by the cold and freeze has been 

 considerable. Peas, which should be in bloom, are scarce four inches 

 high, and every thing is backward. There is a market for what good stuff 

 we have, but nothing is growing to perfection. 



Strawberries were not sufficiently advanced in this region to be 

 injured much. Currants and gooseberries were in fair condition for a 

 crop. Cultivation should now be given to young strawberry beds. 



Mr. F. Havden finds the Kirtland raspberry the best red raspberry 

 for early. The Philadelphia is his next choice. The Turner is a good 

 berry for family use, but he does not value it, and would not plant it. 

 The canes grows very strong, but the berries are few and too soft for 

 market. 



Jonathan Huggins read a paper on plant-lice. 



I am sorry to say that the report is not in my possession, and I am 

 not able to secure it for publication. 



