18 TEANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Dr. Humphrey — Mr. Auer names the Ben Davis as the most 

 profitable apple to plant, and Willow as the next. This would be 

 misleading in some sections of the State. In Knox county Ben 

 Davis is nearly worthless. Roman Stem stands at the head of the 

 list, but has the one drawback of ripening too early. Willow Twig 

 is also very valuable. I planted largely of Domine years ago, and 

 it is doing fairly well. The Russians I would touch lightly, as they 

 do not appear to be adapted to our soil and climate, and the quality 

 is unsatisfactory. I think our hot, dry summers have as much to do 

 with the death of fruit trees as the cold winters. I am of the 

 opinion that our coming apples will come from the south, rather 

 than the north. 



Mr. Bailey — I came here from New York, thirty years ago, and 

 planted the varieties that succeeded there. The last five years has 

 swept them nearly all out of existence. I can now count on my 

 fingers the varieties that are left. We need not go to Russia, or the 

 South, but if each man will do a little missionary work and look 

 after the seedlings, as well as the old varieties that succeed in his 

 locality, we shall find the apple we want. The great need of the 

 orchardist is a race of hardy, long-lived trees. 



H. M. Dunlap — I am not in favor of planting trees that have 

 no recommendations but hardiness. I prefer trees that are produc- 

 tive, even if I replant every ten years. I think we should experi- 

 ment with southern varieties ; take a northern man south and he 

 will not endure the climate, but bring a southern man north and he 

 will receive new energy and vigor, and I think the same rule will 

 hold good with the apple tree. 



J. V. Cotta — Ever since 1855-6, we have been having trouble 

 with our trees; and, looking back over that period, we find that 

 these unfavorable seasons have occurred far too often. I lost a ten- 

 acre orchard, and in every instance the tree was killed by the freez- 

 ing and rupturing of the inner bark. This seems to indicate that 

 our method of propagation is wrong, and that we must hereafter 

 top-graft on hardy stocks. If propagated in this way, all the old 

 standard varieties can be grown in Northern Illinois. I think some 

 of the Russians are worth testing, but I would not advise any one 

 to rush headlong into them. 



