176 TEANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



T have an idea that it makes a difference whether a man is selling or 

 buying. 



Snyder is the almost exclusive variety raised, although Stone's 

 Hardy is raised by some and yields well, but not better than Snyder. 



Ancient Briton is very hardy and prolific, but too poor in qual- 

 ity to be of any value. 



Wilson, Jr., is too tender for our winters, while there are those 

 that are as good and that are far more reliable. 



Now, then, in view of the ruinously low prices that have ruled 

 for berries the past season, what are you going to do about it? 



After paying the boxmakers and pickers, freight and commis- 

 sion, etc., the figures on the profit side of the ledger dwindle down 

 to a very small item, even if it does not get over on to the other 

 side. 



There are, however, plenty of things that may interfere to re- 

 duce the crop, such as severe winters, insects, late frosts, hail storms, 

 etc., so that it is probably not good policy to borrow much trouble over 

 something that may never transpire, but work on and labor rather 

 to raise better fruit instead of more of it, and try to create a de- 

 mand for quality, instead of the quantity that can be procured for a 

 given amount of cash. 



A PEN SKETCH OF DR. WILLIAM LE BAK0:N. 

 BY F. W. GODING, M. D. 



William Le Baron was born in North Andover, Mass., October 

 17, 1814, beiiig a son of Dr. Lemuel and Martha Le Baron, the 

 former a physician of considerable note. His paternal grand- 

 father was a minister. The corresponding maternal relative, 

 Dr. Thomas Kittridge, a surgeon whose fame extended from Maine 

 to Washington, and was one of a long line of intelligent physicians. 

 From the genealogy of the family it is evident that the subject of 

 our sketch inherited studious habits and scientific tastes. His life 

 study was decided upon from earliest childhood. 



His early education was acquired under the iron rule of Dr. 

 Putnam, whose school for boys was famed in those days, attracting 

 from far and near many who afterward attained distinction in their 

 several vocations. Among his schoolmates he was beloved and re- 

 spected, one of whom says in speaking of him: "He was the boy 

 with the best judgment among us. In any dispute we always called 

 upon William to decide, for he was always so fair and so true that 

 we were willing to abide by his decisions."' 



From childhood he evinced a strong love of nature, devoting 

 every moment of leisure to studying her in the various branches. 

 First ornithology and then botany attracted his attention; and hav- 

 ing made an exhaustive local collection of specimens in each of these 



