VALLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 391 



well mixed, ami plant my seed on top of that, and cover with fine 

 soil. 



JUNE MEETING. 



The June meeting of the Kankakee Valley Horticultural So- 

 ciety was held in Mateno on the grounds of J. I). Breen, on Satur- 

 day, 12th. The day was all that could be desired, the grounds were 

 large and commodious and Avell shaded with large trees of ash, maple 

 and walnut. Members of the Society and others began to arrive at 

 about 9 o'clock, a. m. The time till 11 p. m. was spent in friendly 

 greetings and social intercourse and sampling of berries. At 1 p. m. 

 dinner was announced and about one hundred and twenty persons 

 sat down to a royal feast of the good things of this world, strawber- 

 ries and cream predominating. 



The meeting was called to order by President Barnard at 3 

 o'clock p. M. The President said he had just received a communica- 

 tion from Mr. Bubach explaining why he was not on hand with his 

 " biggest and best berry in the world." The reason assigned was that 

 they were rather an early berry and were nearly out of season, and 

 that he did not think it fair to himself or his berry to exhibit the 

 tail end of his crop. 



Reports of committees were called for. Mr. Mortimer, on tree 

 fruits, said that the trees that had survived the extreme cold of win- 

 ter before last were quite full of fruit and bid fair for a good crop. 

 As to pears, we are not living in a pear country, there are none. 

 Cherries, of the Early Richmond variety, we have an abundance and 

 of excellent quality. He spoke of some of the early Russian varie- 

 ties and thought by planting the best of those, we could always rely 

 upon having cherries. Of plums, there is some hope of our native 

 varieties. The Wild Goose plum, if protected on the east by an ever- 

 green hedge or other protection from the morning sun, would, un- 

 doubtedly, give us fruit. 



Some discussion was had on insecticides. Mr. Mortimer said he 

 had tried white hellebore on the currant worm, and it didn't seem to 

 disturb them any; thought it was a failure. 



