TKANSACTIUNS IIUUTICL LTL UAh SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILL. 383 



After the delivery of the essay a discussion ensued upon a suggestion 

 by Mr. Wier to have the illustrations engraved and printed with the 

 essay. This was ended by vote of the Society to refer the engraving to 

 the Committee on Printing, with power to act. 



Mr. McWhorter explained the difference in species of evergreens 

 as adapted to the lawn and different locations upon it, saying each has its 

 peculiar form and habit, and sliould be located accordingly. The Ameri- 

 can spruce is especially symmetrical and beautiful, and requires no 

 pruning. Tlie trees planted near the house should be the only ones 

 pruned. 



Mr. T. McD. Richards (of Woodstock, McHenry county), being 

 called upon for an essay, read as follows : 



FARM ORCHARDS. 

 Mr. President : 



By invitation I have hastily prepared a few thoughts upon "Farm 

 Orchards," and will confine myself to the apple. I have been a practical 

 farmer in this county, and lived on the same farm for nearly thirty years; 

 hence have witnessed the rise and fall of farm orchards to some extent. 

 My orchard was mostly planted at the date of my purchase, in area two 

 acres. The trees grew rapidly, and to all appearance healthily for some 

 ten or twelve years, and looked so promising that I regretted not having 

 put out ten acres instead of two. But hard winters came, especially that one 

 in the fifties, the borer came, the bark louse came, caterpillars came, also 

 blight and storm, till of that early planting about one-third remain, few 

 of which are in prime condition. Now, in addition to our past enemies, 

 we are confronted with the canker-worm, which is laying waste whole 

 orchards in my vicinity. These discouragements led farmers to neglect 

 their trees ; and hence we find dilapidated orchards on every hand. I 

 must confess that, from a farmer's stand-point and thirty years' experi- 

 ence, I am ready to recommend small instead of large orchards ; for the 

 farmer has too many irons in the fire to care properly for a large orchard. 

 Tlie usual attention given to five acres would pay better applied to one 

 acre. However, don't give up in despair, have an orchard anyway, and 

 keep the ranks full, which you will be pretty sure to do with a small 

 orchard. With all my discouragements and too much neglect, yet, with 

 one or two exceptions, I have had plenty of fruit for about twenty years. 

 1 came here to learn from your experiences how to better battle with our 

 orchard enemies, at the same time throw in my own thoughts for what 

 tliey are worth. Eternal vigilance seems to be the price of fruit, as well 

 as liberty. In nearly all our orchards of much age we find too much per- 

 isiiable fruit ; the farmer wants only a few summer or fall varieties; at 

 least three-fourths of his orchard should be winter fruit, and such kinds 

 as experience teaches us do well in our immediate localities. I think our 

 Jiorticulturists call them " iron-clads." There is very little chance for 



