TRANSACTIONS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILL. 229 



Blackberries. — Generally full crops. There are but few plants grow- 

 ing in this locality, as planters had become disgusted and rooted them out 

 of their grounds. Kittatinny is the variety generally planted now. 



Currants. — Fair crops, where cultivated at all. It is noticeable that 

 currants in grass quit the bearing business almost entirely. 



The borer still continues his ravages, and the fruit culturist has to use 

 the knife freely and cut out the old wood. By its proper use he gets 

 fruit, and it now brings fair prices. 



Gooseberries. — Productive, but slow sale. 



Strawberries. — A good yield. There are comparatively few planta- 

 tions, on account of former failures from dry weather in former seasons, 

 together with the works of white grub or cut-worm, or both. They have 

 destroyed some of the largest plantations for the past two years. The 

 varieties mostly grown are Wilson's Albany, Green Prolific and Downer's 

 Prolific. Monarch and Prouty's Seedling are only recently introduced. 



We had rain enough through the entire season to answer all reason- 

 able demands, and at times a little less would have been more satisfactory. 



Grapes bore a good crop, and brought moderate prices, so as to be 

 used freely by all. Concords, mostly. 



DISCUSSION UPON THE REPORT. 

 RASPBERRIES. 



Mr. Powell had cultivated raspberries many years; he-, plants in 

 rows seven feet apart, setting the plants four feet apart in the rows, culti- 

 vating with a cultivator rather than a corn plow, as this would give too 

 deep culture and injure the roots. He is careful not to plow from the 

 plants, but gives as level cultivation as may be. He clips the canes early 

 in summer at three feet from the ground, and gives one subsequent clip- 

 ping when considerable additional growth has been made, and at this 

 clipping shortens in the lateral shoots, after which he lets them grow as 

 they will. The varieties which he has in cultivation are Davison's Thorn- 

 less, Doolittle and McCormick (or Mammoth Cluster). He classes them 

 in the order of productiveness : Doolittle, first ; McCormick, second ; 

 and Davison's Thornless, third. 



CHERRIES. 



Mr. Slade — I have spoken of the early Richmond cherry as not 

 having produced more than half a crop for me the past year. Upon one 

 hundred English Morello trees, grafted seven years ago, there was not a 

 quart of cherries ; but I still think highly of this variety. It has done 

 well in the past, and I am confident will do so in the future. The Hip} 

 (local name), a late cherry, bore a good crop this last year. 



