98 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



kindness of correspondents, he is enabled to make fifteen reports. From 

 the other four no direct information has been gained. From Bond, 

 Clinton, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Randolph 

 and St. Clair I have received interesting reports. From Calhoun, Monroe, 

 Perry and Washington nothing has as yet been received. 



The counties from which reports have been received I have placed 

 in their alphabetical order, and will now proceed to give you the reports 

 therefrom, before expressing any conclusions of my own. 



BOND COUNTY. 



E. Gaskins, of Mulberry Grove, Bond county, says : 



^"■Peaches in this county proved a failure this year. Cherries, but few. Grapes, a 

 very short crop. Apples, I think, might be said to be about half a crop ; not more, if 

 the bitter rot be taken into account. Even the Rambo on old trees suffered badly, as 

 did the Oitley in my own orchard, on trees about fifteen years old. But there is no 

 demand for them, so we have more than we can make sale of. We cannot ship them 

 from this part of the country, from the fact that barrels, freight and other charges more 

 than use up proceeds of sales. I planted my orchard for experiment rather than profit, 

 and I am glad I did, as it saves me from disappointment. My Yellow Belleflowers 

 have not borne a crop for four years. This spring they promised well, but proved an 

 entire failure, owing, I think, to frost in spring. I do not think that growing apples in 

 this locality can be made profitable. But if I was setting out an orchard ybr/ro/f/ here, 

 I would plant but three sorts, viz.: Ben Davis, Wine Sap and Nickajack. All summer 

 and fall apples (more than the family needs) are worthless; and, so far as my observa- 

 tion and experience enable me to judge, winter fruits are not much better. 



" I should'like to know what fruit growers think of the Nickajack. My experience 

 with it is rather limited, my trees just beginning to bear ; but the trees are good growers, 

 fruit of good size and color, and hangs to tree well." 



[The Nickajack has been grown many years by L. W. Lyon, near 

 Bethalto, Madison county, and has succeeded well with him, but not so 

 well as to be decidedly preferred to other sorts.] 



CLINTON COUNTY. 



Dr. M. M. HoRTON, near Centralia, but in Clinton county, gives 

 the following account of the season : 



" We have had more than an average crop of Apples, no Peaches nor Plums, a 

 fair crop of Ckei-ries and Strawberi'ies, and few Blackberries and Raspberries. 



"The Apple crop has been much injured by the bitter rot and premature dropping 

 from the trees. Notwithstanding these, we have saved more of the crop than usual. It 

 is too early to determine whether or not our apples will keep well through the winter. 

 There is much rotting in the bins, and fears are entertained that much loss will be expe- 

 rienced in this way. 



" There have been very few trees of any kind planted in this county this year, and 

 if prices continue as low as they now are for fruit of all kinds, we may not expect an 

 early increase of planting. Price of apples, from ten to sixty cents a bushel ; average, 

 twenty-five cents. 



"There are too many theories in regard to the causes of 'bitter rot,' for me to 

 indulge in this direction ; but I would merely suggest the inquiry whether the effect of 

 manures as a remedy have been tested. 



" Cherries were fair and comparatively free from curculio, the Early May being the 

 favorite. 



