STATE IIORTICULTIIRAL SOCIETY. 15 



Cherries were stung. Plum trees set well with fruit; but, with the exception of the 

 wild , stung by the Curculio . 



—Mr, C. S. Capps reports from Mount Pulaski, Logan county, that we have had a 

 good average Apple crop. Much of the fruit is scabby (an unusual thing with us). 

 The old popular varieties seem most affected in this way. Carolina Red June, 

 Early Harvest, Fameuse, Rawles Janet, Wine Sap, and Milam are very badly affected. 

 New York Pippin, Jonathan, and King of Tompkins county, are tine this year; 

 probably half the Apple crop in this section was Irozen on the trees in October. 



The Pear crop was very good, and the fruit generally perfect. We have had 

 rather more blight this year than usual; the Cherry crop was very good. We had 

 no Peaches or Plums, and very few Grapes; of the latter, the Isabella was the best. 

 Small fruits were very plenty ; quality, about as usual. I do not think the Codling 

 Moth was quite as destructive as usual. The Curculio did not leave us any Plums or 

 Nectarines. Peach Borers are about as numerous and active as usual. 1 do not 

 think we have any Bark Lice yet. 



Of the Grape crop about half the Catawba and some others rotted. Delaware 

 dropped about all their leaves before the fruit was ripe . Several of the new varieties 

 of Grapes, and many varieties of Pears, and nearly all varieties of Plums, shed their 

 leaves piematurely. In fact, I am inclined to think that leaf-blight is one of the worst 

 diseases that our fruit-trees are heir to . 



Of Pears I find that the Beurre D'Anjou has the healthiest foliage, and does not 

 seem quite as subject to blight as other varieties. It is a fine, healthy, thrifty growing 

 variety; a little tardy about bearing, but will probably prove a good bearer at the age 

 say of fifteen years. The fruit is large, rich, and excellent with us. 



I will close my report with a letter from our much esteemed friend, G. W. Minier: 



MiNiER, December 8th, 1869. 

 Hon. L. U. Francis, Spi-ingjield, Illinois : 



Dear Sir:— Your favor of 30th ultimo was duly received. 1 fear very much I 

 shall aid you but little. The time of meeting is so near, and my business will not let 

 me help much . 



A few facts in regard to fruit crops in our district may be beneficial; and, first: 

 insects have done but little damage comparatively. The drenching rains at the right 

 time did the Codling Moth. Entomologists to the contraiy notwithstanding, I am 

 confident that rains, at the right time , will kill insects. Our Apples are large, fine, 

 and smooth— a good crop. But, alasl Capt. Jack Frost played smash with my 

 neighbors'. Thi'ough sheer good luck I got mine well taken care of. I should think 

 one-fourth the entire crop of Winter Apples were Irozen. Should not our Society 

 more earnestly insist on early picking for late keeping? The best thing we can do for 

 our bearing Apple orchards is to seed them down to pigs. 



Everyone who has a grape vine and brains, has found out the past season that 

 draining is indispensable. A brown mould overspread the vines; new shoots, old 

 canes not aflected, and very little injury on well drained lands. The vines cast their 

 fruit in the following order:— Clintons worst ; then, Isabella, Hartfoi'd Prolific, Ives 

 Seedling, Delaware, and Concord, best of all. 



As is always tlie case, best cultivated pays best, and no pruning during the 

 summer. 1 believe we prune too much anyhow. Vines left up last winter did well,. 



