10 TRANSACTIONS OF '^'HE ILLINOIS 



" Strawberries were very fine, but too much rain-fall at time of ripening to ^ave the 

 crop in good condition." 



Mr. E. C. Hathaway, of Ottawa, LaSalle county, writes : 



" In relation to the subject matter of your inquiry, in answer I must be brief, as I 

 have had little time to make the necessary inquiries in this section; but I will endeavor 

 to give a few general notes, however, as they have come under my own observation. 



" The winter of 1875-76 was unusually mild in this section, and the season previous 

 to this having been a moist one all the Trees, Vines, etc., that had not succumbed to the 

 extreme drouth of the four years previous made unusal growth ; consequently, the 

 inflorescence last spring was much more profuse than ordinary, and nearly all fruits seem 

 to have set very full. 



" Early Richmond and other Cherries of that class bore very full crops of fruit of 

 unusal excellence. Common Morello, however, neither bloomed much nor set any fruit; 

 they appear to be very badly diseased, and are quite used up in this locality. 



" Apples were very abundant, but a great many were very badly scabbed. Rambo, 

 Rawles' Janet, American Summer Pearmain, Little Romanite, and many others, were 

 nearly destroyed by the scab; but Duchess of Oldenburg, Maiden's Blush, Keswick 

 Codlin, Ben Davis, Willow Twig, Wagener, Baldwin and Westfield Seek-no-further 

 were very tine. The Apple crop, at this writing, is rotting badly here, and I learn that 

 such is the case in nearly all localities — even in other States as well. 



" Currants and Gooseberries bore a good crop of fine fruit. 



" Strawberries from new plantations better, in all respects, than usual, and they also 

 brought better prices than for some years past. 



" Grapes were not as good as they have been some other years, being scattering on 

 the bunches and many varieties rotting. The Concord has not behaved as well as 

 usual, but, on comparing it with other varieties, may say it has held its own. Parkins 

 and Diana, good ; Rogers' Hybrids, as well as Catawba, and many others, almost utter 

 failures — from rot principally. 



" Raspberries of all classes a fair, but not large, crop of fruit of good quality. 



" Pears a fair crop; most of the fruit excellent. The blight is playing sad havoc 

 with most of the trees in many places in this district. 



" Please have the question brought up and discussed at the Society meeting in rela- 

 tion to the linseed oil remedy. I am watching a number of trees in a gentleman's 

 garden, where the trees were badly blighting, and were painted with the oil ; and it has 

 seemed to arrest it, even where the trees seemed hopelessly gone. It was so late in 

 the season when this occurred that I will not be able to report hnal results before 

 another season. 



" Insects were not as numerous as usual, and so but little damage came from that 

 quarter. Except a few days in the spring, I saw but few Potato Beetles during the 

 entire season. 



"The Borer (Saperda bivittata) seems to have worked about as usual this year, 

 only where the hot soft soap was applied in the latter part of May. Upon examination 

 of such trees this fall, can find no Borers. 



" Very few Codling-moth this season — which fact is undoubtedly due to absence of 

 a crop of apples the year previous. 



" Leaf-rollers plenty and increasing ; can find no remedy better than thoroughly 

 hand-gathering after leaves drop in fall. 



" So far as prices for all products of the orchard, field and garden are concerned, I 

 think they have been considerably above the average the past season, with the exception 

 of apples. This crop has hardly paid for marketing ; but I think that those who have 

 varieties which ivill keep may yet realize good prices in the spring." 



