SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 329 



But these various interests are in the hands of able, practical 

 men and women, who thorouj^hly understand their vocation, and 

 will present and discuss the claims of the different branches of 

 horticulture in a lucid and systematic manner, without any special 

 recommend from the Chair. I will therefore no longer trespass 

 upon your valuable time. 



Mr. A. Bryant moved that a committee be appointed on the 

 President's address, which motion prevailed, and the Chair named 

 Messrs. Minier, Bryant and Barnard to act as such committee. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Scott — Is it possible to hy])ridize the common apple with 

 the wild crab? 



Professor Budd — I consider it entirely possible to cross the wild" 

 €rab with the apple. Our students made several experiments in 

 hybridizing the wild crab and were successful. In hybridizing the 

 Soulard crab, we covered the blossom before it opened and kept it 

 covered after crossing, and know there was no doubt about our suc- 

 cess. The shape of the apple was changed by the experiment. 



Mr. F. I. Mann — I saw two very handsome apples that grew on 

 a crab apple tree which stood close to a Roman Stem tree. 



Mr. Scott — I consider the Soulard the best winter crab we have 

 for sauce and general family use, and would recommend it. 



THE OLD AND NEW IN HORTICULTURE. 



BY SAMUEL EDWAKDS. 



Early in the '40s our native groves afforded blackberries of fine 

 qualities in such abundance that all of the inhabitants were well sup- 

 plied. Plums, many of them of good size and exquisite flavor, so 

 plenty that large quantities of them rotted. Grapes, which were 

 made into wine and put up for winter use. Crab apples, hickory 

 nuts, hazel nuts, black and white walnuts all were abundant. Ex- 

 cellent i)ies and sauce were made from leaves of sorrel (oxalis). So 

 much nature had provided in this lovely garden where our lot was 

 cast. 



Farmer's vegetable gardens in general would not suffer by com- 

 parison with those of the present day. The finest collections of an- 

 nual flowers it has been my good fortune to see, were then grown in 

 this vicinity. ^ 



