180 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



believe we must look for seedlings originating in our midst, or in 

 Tennessee or Kentucky, to improve our present stock of apples for 

 market purposes, rather than to Russia or other European countries. 

 But still we would not do or say anything to discourage the worthy 

 gentlemen in their commendable efforts to procure more hardy varie- 

 ties for our great Northwest. Good reports have come to us from 

 growers of Kinnard's Choice, Black Twig, Spark Late, Fink, Arkan- 

 sas, Black Minkler, Walbridge, Corneirs Fancy and Sherwood's 

 Favorite. The Neil's Keeper still holds its reputation among us 

 as a local variety second to none as a fine-appearing, long-keeping 

 market apple of better quality than Ben Davis. 



PEARS. 



The Keiffer, La Conte and Early Harvest pears still maintain 

 their reputation as vigorous growers and comparatively free from 

 blight, yet not entirely. The fruit is smooth, of fine appearance and 

 of medium quality. The Birket is with us, free from blight, as hardy 

 as an oak, but too small and of too poor a quality, in our judgment, 

 ever to be profitable where better can be grown. The Mt. Vernon 

 pear for eighl years with us has grown slow, resisted blight on pear 

 and quince roots, and has proved to be a hardy, desirable pear, keep- 

 ing well through November. The Lawson Comet we have not 

 fruited. 



Prunus Simonii appears to be hardy, also Russian Apricot, but 

 I have not fruited them. Of several hundred mulberries, none have 

 produced fruit larger than a navy bean, and of no value except for 

 birds, but if properly trimmed they will make a desirable shade or 

 lawn tree. The Champion quince fruited, this year, fruit medium to 

 large, of but little fragrance, quality hardly as good as the Old 

 Orange quince, but tree very much hardier and retains its foliage 

 until frost; fruit is later and hangs on well. 



RASPBERRIES. 



The Cuthbert maintains its place with us as the best red market 

 raspberry. Hansell proved hardy, of good size and quality, and mod- 

 erately productive; we rather like it. Malboro withstood the cold 

 of two very hard winters, producing this year a full crop of solid, 

 well-colored, nearly round berries, and we are favorably impressed 

 with its good points; it is not so sensitive to drouth as some varieties. 

 Shaffer's Colossal is a mammoth berry, and makes a tremendous 

 wood growth; is a very desirable red berry for home markets. 



BLACK RASPBERRIES. 



Tyler, Souhegan and Ohio black caps have all proved hardy, de- 

 sirable kinds; also a variety, Prairie Queen, from A. D. Ashbaugh, 



