104 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Rulander, and Massasoit. One-fourth : Cynthiana, Norton's Virginia, Cunningham, 

 Goethe, Taylor, Cottage, Ives (bore nevertheless a very heavy crop). Very little 

 affected by rot : Hermann (a young vine), Perkins, Peggy (a very foxy, small and 

 valueless grape), Delaware and Hartford. Badly mildewed: Catavi^ba, Delaware, 

 Maxatawney and Croton. The fruit of all this latter class did not ripen. The best 

 yield was from Perkins and Ives. 



" I wish somebody could explain what the real cause of the diseases, particularly 

 the rot, of the grape, was. If it was the heavy and frequent rains of the summer and 

 the water-soaked soil, then why did the Concord here rot the worst in high dry posi- 

 tions, where the water would run off quickly, while in low and level places, where the 

 water for many days remained standing, there was hardly any rot at all ? It was so in 

 the low and level gardens, in the town of Highland, where the free circulation of the 

 air was obstructed by buildings, trees, etc. Might this rot not have been caused by a 

 fungus growth, favored by the sultry, damp and hot atmosphere, the spores of which 

 could not penetrate everywhere, and were not equally favored by the condition of the 

 skin of all varieties ? And might not the bitter rot on the apple be the same- disease on 

 another fruit, and the effect of the same cause ? 



" Strawberries did tolerably well, but yielded not quite a full crop. 



" Raspberries, particularly the Turner, and also the Black-caps, bore well. 



" The Kittatinny Blackberry, the same. 



" Gooseberries, hardly any ; blossoms destroyed by frosts in spring. 



" Of Currants, a tolerably good yield. 



" Of IViid Fruits i\iere-wtrQ some blackberries, very few hazel, but plenty of walnuts 

 and hickory nuts and acorns. Also persimmons, of which I have an excellent variety, 

 originated in Missouri, grafted on a male tree which now bears well." 



MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 



John M. Neisler, of Irving, Montgomery county, says : 



" Fruit crop below an average. Apple, good yield, but not keeping well ; wormy. 

 Peach, almost a total failure, owing to bad condition of trees ; affected by freeze of past 

 winters, and borers. Cherry and Pear, very light crop ; pear blight badly. Black- 

 berries, Lawton and Ohio, ever-bearing, crop good, and have made good wood. Rasp- 

 berries and other small fruits, small ; fruits light. 



" I would further add a description of the Neisler apple — that it has been known 

 and tried in old Montgomery county for the last twenty-five or thirty years, on differ- 

 ent locations, and proves itself well. There wasn't any bitter rot, or any other bad 

 qualities." 



Knodle Brothers, of Irving, Montgomery county, say: 



" In reporting you, we would say that the past season opened with a promise of fine 

 fruit and a fair crop, the trees not being overloaded, the late frosts having done consid- 

 erable thinning of the blossoms and small sets. But at the present writing we can speak 

 as to the profit. The quality of many apples was inferior — winter apples generally not 

 keeping well. This, we think, is owing to the long-continued warm weather, and the 

 fruit being left to come to maturity upon the trees, our experience being that fruit picked 

 before severe frosts keeps the best. 



" As to the most profitable varieties this year, by very general observation, we 

 believe, are Ben Davis, Willow Twig, Dominie, Janet, Wine Sap and Carthouse. Some 

 other varieties are now commanding attention, viz. : Stark, Grimes' Golden, Lawver, 

 etc. Grimes we know to be a great bearer of fine fruit, in parts of Iowa ; also hear 

 favorable reports of Stark from same quarter, while parties at St. Joseph, Mo., inform us 

 that the Lawver is well known in their fruit district as a profitable sort. We should like 

 further information on Stark, Lawver, Missouri Superior and Missouri Pippin. Of fall 

 varieties, we iuul the Rambo, Fall Wine Sap and Maiden's Blush the most profitable, 

 while Hubliardson and Non-Such commanded attention. Of summer, Early Harvest, 

 Red June, Benoni, Duchess and Red Astrachan are most profitable. 



