300 



TKANSACTIOJMS OF THE NORTHERN 



the proper mode of securing- this stock, I -will say a word in regard to tlie handling. Having been 

 sliipped to its destination in well ventilated boxes securely packed in moss, as perliaps as much 

 dei)euds upon being well handled here as in forest; my plan is to select a iilace near by where they 

 are to be planted out and secure from the rays of the sun; take them from the boxes as soon as 

 possible after receiving them on account of the liability of heating, and pack away in moss. 



When thus cared for and your ground well prepared by deep spading, well pulverised and racked 

 fine and even, having your beds any convenient width for shading, place a board across to work 

 upon, lake one or two bunches of plants, put them in a vessel coutaiuing water, take one by one; 

 taking them out of the water only as jou want them, carefully press the earth closely around the 

 plants ; proceed in this manner without regard to straight lines or even distances apart, planting from 

 one thousand to two thousand on a s<iiiare rod, as the amount will depend upon the kind, some requir- 

 ing more space than others; asfast as y oil proceed with your bed, work in your mulch well around 

 among the plants of some fine nuitorial, such as damaged hay, after being run through a straw cutler, 

 well rotted saw dust, old leaves when to be had are also very good. Could we always have such 

 seasons as the past mulch would be entirely unnecessary. Havingplanted out one hundred in the past 

 season and without any mulch, I succeeded in raising from ninety-live to uinetj-eight per cent, of 

 White Pine, Hemlock, Spruce, and Arborvita>, and nearly that of Balsam. 



Shading of some kind is indispensable to success. I usually jjlace the shade about two to three 

 feet above the plants so as to leave a chance for a free circulation of air. Should j'on be lucky enough 

 to have opportunity of planting them on the north side of evergreen trees tall enough to shade them 

 from the noonday sun, by making the bed well up under them, it would be as good or perhaps better 

 than tlie ordinary manner of shading. 



In regard to the ]n'oper season to transplant from forest there is some diversity of opini(5n ; from 

 my own observation and experience, I would say, that aljout the last of May or first of June, or even 

 up to tenth of June, I have had much better success than earlier, and as a rule when the buds of the 

 Balsam are well swollen Is the proper time. 



HISTORY OF THE SOUL,ARD APPLK. 



The original tree was raised by Mr. Antoine Lessienr, from the seed of the White Calville apple 

 (Calville blanc of the French), in the little French village of Portage des Sioux, in Missouri, on the 

 bank of the Mississippi a short distance above Alton, Illinois. I obtained mj' scions thrice from 

 Mr. Lessieur. the propagation of the two lirst lots having been destroyed diiring mj' absence from 

 St. Louis. I traveled from that place to Portage des Sioux (distance thirty miles), and back, three 

 times— equal to one hundred and eight)- miles— purposely to secure that valuable variety, after seeing 

 the beautiful parent tree and eaten its fruit. Strange to say, the owner only made one graft of the 

 same; which, however, died wlien in bearing, from very bad usage. I am informed the parent tree 

 died many years since. Hence this valuable varietj- would have been lost without my exertions. I 

 procured my scions from 1823 to 1827. 



Tree— One of the most vigorous growers, in the nursery and in tlie orchard, and of an erect form 

 and beautiful habit; comes in bearing early; is an abundant and (without disturbing causes) an 

 annu^d bearer, and propagates easily by graft or bud, and has been perfectly hardy about Galena for 

 some thirty years. 



Fruit— Large; form somewhat conical, rather ribbed, witli narrow crumpled calyx; basin medium; 

 color whiti.sh green, with broad pale red stripes; skin very thin; llesh snow white, with some reddish 

 streaks. None so tender, none so juicy: subacid, of a .sprightly aromatic flavor: without a superior, 

 if it is equalled, for the table, in its season— latter part of September, October and November. It was 

 placed at the head of the list of fall apples, for the knife, by the horticultural society of Jo DaA-iess 

 county. 



Its difficulties are, extreme tenderness long before maturity. Tlie novice presses his thumb, tinds 

 it perfectly soft, tastes it, concludes 'tis ripe; exclaims: None so tender and, juicy, but too acid! 

 Well, wait friend, until fully ripe, and almost everyone will say, no superior if it has an equal, for 

 its season. Being extremely tender, it is difficult of ti-anspoi'tatlon, and of late years, like manj' 

 other fine varieties, occasionally has been subject to the apple worm. Respectfully, 



JAjMES G. sbtJLAED. 



RESOLUTIONS-PASSES FOR PRESIDENT, &c. 



Whereas, The President of the Northern Illinois Horticultural Society must of necessit)- devote 

 much valuable time and money in promoting the society's i)iterests; And, Wherea.s, he cannot 

 do so Intelligently and etliciently except by personal examination of all portions of the district 



