STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 173 



Of the Micliiguu, I have saved all the runners for my own planting, but shall not 

 continue the No. 2, on account of its disposition to throw out runners, riants of this 

 new variety were sold last year, or at least ottered for sale. 



ONARGA, 



Or Owen's Seedling, lias been on trial four or tive years. The plants are very vig- 

 orous, more inclined to runners than the Michigan, but less than most varieties. The 

 fruit is very large, rather soft, but yet carries well; on the whole, a very promising 

 fruit. It will need be cultivated in hills to succeed the best. Mr. Owen persisted 

 until this year in growing this fruit under his apple trees, and hence it has not had a 

 good chance to show what it is capable of doing. 



THE ALPINES. 

 Among these we have what is claimed to be a new seedling under the name of 



MEXICAN EVERBEARING. 



Whether this is a new variety, the eflect of growing in hills, a fiivorable season, or 

 the effects of liquid manures, is not fully settled. Certainly it has puzzled the horti- 

 cultural world, and put several of its members by the ears . In my own grounds it is 

 so nearly identified with the old Red Alpine that no visitor, not even those dealing iu 

 the plants, have been able to say which is the Red Alpine and which is the Mexican . 

 I have fancied that the fruit of the Red Alpine is a deeper red and its terminal more 

 round or less pointed, and also smaller; but all these ditferences may be due to newly 

 set plants. Both have borne through the wet periods, and both have bloomed and 

 failed to perfect their fruits during the dry periods. Both have fruited on the new 

 runners, and thus far, both to me are equally worthless; and so far as this part of the 

 State is interested, I think it is of little importance whether they are identical or not, 

 unless we can have new light on their culture further north and in moist locations. 

 Cultivated in hills, it may be of more value. At Detroit, Mr. Whiting has grown fine 

 crops, samples of which I have seen, and which were large and showy, though not of 

 the highest flavor; very pleasant to have out of the strawberry season. Its history in 

 Michigan has been so remarkable, that such men as Warder, Meehan and Elliott, 

 think that it must be of value, and should have a more extensive trial. Because it 

 has not succeeded in Central Illinois this season there is no reason why it should not 

 have a further trial with a view to most thoroughly test its value. 



APPLES. 



This fruit is of the greatest value and deserves our best attention, 



BEN DAVIS. 



This fruit continues to please us. Tree hardy, a young and profuse bearer, and a 

 long keeper. The quality is not so good as desired, but its other points are too valu- 

 able to be overlooked, and it must occupy a high position in the commercial orchard. 



