64 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Mr. Lathrop — The preemption laws and the timber claim laws 

 are to-ilay in danger of repeal from efforts of ruthless speculators. 

 If you could ride with me for forty miles across a treeless prairie, 

 with not even a riding switch to be found, it would not be necessary 

 to appeal to you to sustain the timber laws. 



The following resolution was offered by Hon. G. W. Minier and 

 unanimously adopted: 



The planting of trees and conservation of the forests of Illinois 

 are considerations of deep importance, and as they are not on our 

 programme I ask to submit the following resolution: 



First: That it is the sense of this convention that the planting of 

 forest trees should be encouraged by every laudable means, and the preser- 

 vation of our forests should be constantly encouraged. 



Hecond: We commend the setting apart one day in the early spring as 

 Arbor Day, in which the young of both sexes may vie with each other in 

 so pleasant and useful a task. 



RASPBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, CURRANTS AND 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



BY D. H. GKAT. 



Mr. President., Ladies and Gentlemen: 



As a member of your committee on the general subject of rasp- 

 berries and blackberries, I have varied a little from the uniform 

 method in furnishing a paper, having confined myself to the topic of 



PKUNING. 



I considered that you would allow this digression on the part of one 

 in a committee of three, since variety at least would be secured. 

 Another motive was to introduce the subject before this body, that 

 after your free discussion of it something more definite might be 

 furnished the beginner than the following, taken from one of our 

 leading agricultural papers: '' It is advisable to frequently cut back 

 the growth of blackberries and raspberries during the summer 

 season, as it will very greatly increase quantity and quality of the 

 fruit." 



When the plant of the black cap family has stood a year in 

 the row a vigorous shoot will start up from the crown, reaching the 

 height of eighteen inches somewhere about the last of May in this 

 latitude. At this time it contains from three to seven auxiliary 

 buds and a terminal bud. The tip of the stock contains the opening 

 terminal bud, pushing on by its own growth, leaving behind it a 

 stock set with dormant auxiliary buds protected by leaves. As the 



