22 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



That portion of our people interested in agricultural pursuits are 

 becoming deeply impressed with the fact that this great interest should 

 have a voice in the councils of the nation. The importance of this sub- 

 ject, and the necessity of immediate action, will be pressed upon Con- 

 gress during this present session, and they will be asked to establish a 

 Bureau of Agriculture, the head of which shall be a cabinet officer. I 

 would therefore recommend that this Society petition Congress, and 

 especially request the members from our own State, to give the subject 

 the attention it deserves. 



It was the intention of this Society to have made an exhibition of 

 fruit at the Centennial that would have been creditable to the Society 

 and an honor to the State ; but our unfortunate financial condition ren- 

 dered it impossible. It was therefore decided by the Board to accept the 

 invitation of the State Board of Agriculture to unite with them, make up 

 a collection at the State Fair, and forward to Philadelphia. Circulars 

 were therefore sent out to horticultural societies and prominent fruit 

 growers, requesting them to send specimens to the State Fair for that 

 purpose. The result was a large and fine collection; but a combination 

 of circumstances seemed to render it inexpedient to forward it. The 

 horticultural interests of our State were therefore unrepresented. 



Gentlemen, I will no longer detain you. You are fully conscious of 

 the importance of the work in which you are engaged, and of the import- 

 ance of faithfully pursuing it. Continue in the even tenor of your way, 

 plant groves and belts, plant trees and flowers, and, although it may not 

 be until you have been called from labor to reward, this Garden State, 

 the noblest heritage God ever gave to man, shall become as beautiful as 

 the garden of the Lord. 



REPORT ON BERRY CULTURE. 



Thomas Leslie, of Ipavia, read the following essay on Berry Culture : 



Mr. President atid Gentlemen of the State Horticultural Society : 



I notice by the programme of this Society that I am one of the Com- 

 mittee on Berry Culture ; I therefore take that as a hint for me to say 

 something on the subject. 



Our Berry crop in this vicinity, the past season, was above the aver- 

 age ; but, in consequence of very wet weather the latter part of June, we 

 could not place them on the market in good condition ; and if it had not 

 been for our home market — '■'■Ipava CanJiing House'' ^ — I fear we would 

 have met with heavy lo.sses on Saturdays and Mondays. But, as it was, 

 we received for our surplus berries from eight to ten cents per quart. 



Our mode of picking and handling berries is as follows: Our pickers 

 take a full case of boxes into the patch, picking directly into boxes and 

 placing in case when full, thereby saving any extra handling ; the foreman 

 passing among the pickers to see that no inferior berries are put into 

 boxes ; as our experience is that poor berries never pay, and good, choice 

 berries always pay a good profit. 



