STATE HOBTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 187 



Of plums and cherries, their cultivation has become limited, 

 mostly to native varieties. Our effort to produce the imported or 

 foreign varieties of either were failures, and the experience of all 

 seems to be about the same, with rare exceptions. The climate of 

 our State does not seem to be suited to them. The Chickasaw, Wild 

 Goose and kindred varieties are those on which we must depend for 

 home culture. The demand for this fruit is limited, and will not 

 admit of extended production if raised for profit. The Wild Goose, 

 while not curcnlio-proof, is not favorable to the propagation of that 

 insect. We do not think that ten per cent, of eggs deposited in 

 this fruit ever produce a perfect insect. After the trees are fairly 

 grown, cultivation should cease, and any stock not injurious to the 

 trees permitted the run of the grounds. The Early May and Rich- 

 mond, and varieties akin to these, are our dependence for imj)roved 

 varieties of cherries. The success of this fruit is quite uniform 

 throughout the State. If either section has the advantage we think 

 it is the northern half. Less frequent fluctuations of extreme tem- 

 perature no doul)t being the cause. For ))est results a good soil is 

 required, and sh(juld l)e maintained, or failure will follow^ The con- 

 sumption of this fruit is much greater than that of the plum, but 

 low prices and the ease w^ith which it can be supplied should be a 

 caution to every one. The care of the orchard should be much the 

 same as that suggested for the plum. 



PEACHES, PLUMS AND CHERRIES. 

 BY G. W. ENDICOTT. 



Mr. President and Members of the 



Illinois Stute Horticultural Society : 



Our worthy Secretary issued the edict that I should prepare a 

 short paper on Peaches, Plums and Cherries for this meeting. 



^ow, being one of those obedient ''critters," 1 will not disap- 

 point the meeting in the matter of " short," whatever else may 

 hapi)en. 



If the Secretary wants a paper recommending the planting of 

 large orchards of peaches, pluius and cherries for market, I would 

 stop and close the paper with the one single word, dont. 



In the light of the last ten years I don't believe there is a half 

 dozen points in the State of Illinois where the above fruits could be 

 grown at a profit for a series of ten years consecutively, aiul that 

 would be the average life of the trees named, except the plum, and 

 that only of the native sorts, and they are not profitable only iu a 

 local way. 



I don't wish to discourage the planting of this fruit; on the con- 

 trary, I urge every farmer to plant a generous supply for home use. 



