298 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE NORTHERN 



Tims the wildings of the forest, with their fence offender gloom. 

 And iinperisliahle verdure, glad my heart and guard my bloom . 

 He who on the prairie plants and guards them with a loving lumd, 

 Is, of human benefactors, worth)- with the first to stand. 



In their green and deathless branches shall his historj' remain 

 When the letters from the marble have been wasted by the rain: 

 In their rich and solemn voices shall his memory be sung, 

 When the warrior's deeds no longer by the bells of earth are rung. 



D. W. Scott, Secretary Northern Illinois Horticultural Society: 



Dear Sik— "With much regret that I cannot XJarticipate in tlie interesting discussions of your 

 annual meeting, I herewith send you all my cordial greeting, and some brief notes of observation 

 upon the following subjects: 



^NlrLDEW— This disease has infested our apples to a degree never before known since the fruiting 

 of our orchards has given opportunity for general oljservation, and has added another button to the 

 croakers" string of can'ts, and a stumbling block in the way of many who are contemplating the 

 planting of orcliards: nor can I forget the ominous sliaking of the head of our friend Warder, when 

 pointing out this as one of the much dreaded, and possibly coming scourges of our climate; nor his 

 "happy are you, if you can keep clear of it." 



Believing as I do that most, if not all, of the wide-spread, mysterious diseases of our fruit trees 

 are not so much the direct result of the attack of any species of obscure vegetable animalcule, or 

 fungoid, and hence beyond the control of forces within our reach, as that they are the result of a 

 defective circulation, induced by climatic influences, and the presence of fungoids a subsequent, 

 and, possibly, even an economic necessity, for the utilizing of effete matter, to prepare it for the 

 higher forms of organic life; and feeling confirmed in the importance of the propositions I was 

 permitted to present you last year, relative to the effect that '• Ijocation in all its aspects has to the 

 health of the tree, " I will now brieflj' state some of the observations of the past season. 



1st. An excessive amount of moisture dm-ing the growing season, saturating the soil, and depress- 

 ing the general temperature, giving promise of an unusual formation of young wood. But up to 

 the loth of July there was not sufficient heat to develop a respectable leaf in the nursery or orchard; 

 many varieties having the appearance of being ' ' bitten by frost and eaten of worms. ' ' There was a 

 fair extension, or upward growth, but no power to develop laterals, nor the large leaves necessary 

 to the proper elaboration of the crude sap, to fit it for the development of the young fruit. This 

 state of things continued until the hot days of July, when our trees began to improve in appearance, 

 under thorough and deep culture— in light soils showing the change first, and Anally most orchard 

 trees were enabled to make a fair growth of well ripened wood. 



Now for the effect upon the fruit. June 1st to 10th we had every prospect of an enormous croiJ of 

 apples, and, it being the bearing year, there were great anticipations in this direction. But from 

 the middle of June to the middle of July, one-half of this promise fell from the trees, and alai-ge 

 share of the balance became so deformed that it was not merchantable. There was an unusual 

 exemption from the vai-ious insect troubles, and but for this blight upon the leaves in early summer, 

 and this mildew upon the fruit which followed, we would have realized the wildest anticipations 

 in the crop of fruit— maybe-to the serious exhaustion of our trees. 



Now as to the cause. Can we not trace back from tlie effect, and as before suggested, see the 

 relation which this defective fruit bears to the defective circulation of early summer? What though 

 we discern the presence of niuuerous fungi hei-e, what analogy or reason can make them a first 

 cause? 



Regretting that I cannot pursue this feature of the subject deeper and Avider, permit me o rejoice 

 with you in the reflection that, after all our fears and mystifying of these obscure subjects of vege- 

 table and animal life, the number of really aggressive living forms, both animal and vegetable, is 



called the white pine of California, A still more remarkable pine grows on the mountains of Oahfornia, at an 

 elevation of 4,000 feet. It is tlie great hooked pine, or I'inus couUeri. It is a large, strong-growing tree, with large 

 branches and spreading top. The leaves arc nine inches long, incurved, somewhat compressed, mucronate, two 

 furrowed above, flattish beneath, and on the margin slightly serrated. The cones are obloug, conical and very large, 

 being a foot or more in length, six- 'inches in diameter, and weighing four pounds. The scales are wedge-shaped . 

 lanceolate, mucronate, incurved and hoolicd whence its name The noble pine, Pimis inslgyiis, is also a native of 

 California. At least twenty-three species of pines have a Ireadj- been discovered in North America. The red pine is 

 sometimesjimproperly called the Norway pine; it is a native of North America. The long-leaved pine is a different 

 species from the pitcli pine. The loblolly and southern pines are two more distinct species. Pines do not seem to be 

 indigenous to Illinois, but the time will come when they will wave upon the prairies by millions. 



