16 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Many trees, past their prime, especially on high rolling situa- 

 tions, show the efEects of the drouth, and if we should have a very 

 cold winter, will never bear another crop; but the young and vigor- 

 ous trees have ripened their wood, and go into winter quarters in 

 good condition with an abundance of fruit buds. 



So far the Ben Davis is our best paying apple, the tree is hardy, 

 a vigorous grower, an early and annual bearer. Shakelford has been 

 largely planted the last two seasons, but we have to wait and see if 

 it is adapted to this locality. Willow Twig comes next as a paying 

 apple, and on high rolling ground, and while in its prime, pays about 

 as well as Ben Davis; but old trees, and those planted in hollows 

 or creek bottoms, don't color well, and are inclined to bitter-rot. 

 Jonathan is another paying variety, but, at least with me, does best 

 in cultivated ground — the fruit grows larger and better colored. 

 Rome Beauty does not bear well while young, perhaps will do better 

 when older, and Smith's Cider, though a great bearer, is too tender; 

 lost one- fifth of the trees set out eight years ago; and that old favor- 

 ite, Rawles Janet, has of late years cracked open and rotted when- 

 ever we had a rainy spell during September; so there are only a few 

 varieties adapted for a commercial orchard, and we are anxiously 

 waiting for the coming apple that contains the good qualities of the 

 Ben Davis, and Jonathan or Bellflower combined. 



OECHAEDS — A BEIEF EXHOETATION. 

 BY JAMES T. JOHNSGISr, VTARSAW. 



3Ir. President,, Ladies and Gentlemen of the 



Illinois State Horticultural Society: 



What do you expect us to say, or what can we say upon a ques- 

 tion so dubious as that of orchards in Illinois, at this time? As a 

 member of your Committee on Orchards for 1887, I have carefully 

 surveyed the field, and what do I behold? Not the thrifty and 

 profitable orchards of our earlier dreams, but ruin upon almost every 

 hand. Not orchards, but wrecks of orchards. In all earnestness, 

 orcharding is (or at least has become of late) a most serious mat- 

 ter, and one to which we must of necessity give more and better 

 attention. 



Truly, in such a crisis the eyes of the entire country must be 

 turned upon us, in mingled anxiety, expectation and disgust, and the 

 curious expressions too plainly written upon the faces of my fellow- 

 workers do seem to taunt me now, as if to ask, what are you going 

 to say now? Can you say anything that is new, valuable, or in any 

 degree interesting? And, almost in a frenzy, we ask ourself that 

 selfsame question. 



Probably we will be able to say but little, if anything, new. We 

 shall see. And so I ask myself in this unfortunate crisis, with sev- 

 eral of my own orchards completely mined, with the fond hopes of 



