234 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fruit when it is plenty in the market, and not too dear. I once planted 

 largely of raspberries, and raised one hundred bushels, which it was thought 

 would stock our market. I sold first at fifteen cents, and later in the sea- 

 son at ten cents, and could sell all I could raise. My neighbors have 

 since planted, and the demand still increases. Red varieties sell at fifteen 

 to twenty cents and blackcaps at ten cents per quart. 



Mr. Slade — I have raised three tons of grapes in a season, and some 

 of my neighbors five tons, and yet we have not fully supplied the town of 

 Elgin. Of strawberries, I have planted Seneca Chief, Col. Cheney and 

 Michigan Seedling, all of which do as well, if not better, than the Wilson. 



I once put a heavy coat of ashes upon a quarter of an acre of Wil- 

 son's, which produced a wonderful growth of vines, but they bore little 

 fruit. In answer to the question whether he regarded ashes as detrimental 

 to the strawberry crop, he replied, he did not, but thought them benefi- 

 cial when used in moderation ; he applied too much. 



Mr. Piper said that he once had an acre of strawberries on ground 

 with a southern exposure and had but little fruit, while another plantation 

 with a northern inclination bore a good crop. He has tried a large num- 

 ber of varieties, including Jucunda, Agriculturist, which bore a few ber- 

 ries; Green Prolific, a large, fine berry ; and Burr's New Pine, which did 

 splendidly, but is too tender ; but he had fallen back on Wilson's Albany. 



He recommends a northeastern exposure, lets his vines cover the 

 ground, and renews by plowing up in strips alternately ; yet he thinks a 

 better practice is to plant once in two years. 



The President said, he has always had good crops by frequent 

 planting. 



Mr. Galusha said that where land was plenty or cheap, good, profit- 

 able crops may be raised for quite a number of consecutive years by alter- 

 nating in strips — plowing up strips once in two years, say two feet wide, 

 leaving two feet between the furrows, leveling down the furrows with a 

 small one-horse harrow, and allowing the runners to take possession of 

 the newly plowed strips; then, in two years, plow under the older vines, 

 and so on, giving light top dressings in winter, when needed. 



Mr. Scott moved that the President appoint committees of three 

 each on the following fruit lists, viz. : 



One Committee on Apples and Pears. 



do. do. on Cherries and Plums. 



do. do. on Grapes. 



do. do. on other Small Fruits. 



