230 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Cochran said he wanted to confess too. Eight years ago he 

 was induced to plant out a large lot of Miner plums, but had failed to find 

 any fruit upon them yet. 



The President (jokingly) — My mistake was in not planting enough 

 Miner plums, in nursery — to sell. [Laughter.] 



Mr. Galusha said his first mistake was, after the winter of 1855-56, 

 in giving credence to the error that all nursery trees which were discolored 

 were necessarily ruined. He had watched trees which were discolored in 

 nursery in that most disastrous of all our hard winters, and knew it to be 

 true that trees left to stand until a good growth of new wood had covered 

 the discolored centers, before planting, are good, healthy trees to-day, and 

 bid fair to bear fruit for many years to come. He thought that fifteen to 

 twenty years of healthy growth and prolific fruitage ought to be sufficient 

 to squelch the humbug. 



This sentiment was sanctioned by Mr. Cochran, Mr. Woodard and 

 others. 



Mr. Woodard said one of his mistakes was in planting the Northern 

 Spy apple. 



On motion of Mr. Cochran, the meeting adjourned to seven o'clock 

 this evening. 



EVENING SESSION— FH^ST DAY. 



The Society was invited to seats at seven o'clock, by the President, 

 who introduced to the ladies and citizens who had assembled Mr. J. W. 

 Cochran, of Blue Island, who addressed the meeting on that interesting 

 class of plants, the Orchids. He had on exhibition two of these beauti- 

 ful and delightfully fragrant plants, in full bloom, which had been for a 

 long time, and still were, adhering firmly to bits of board as supports. 

 The curiosity in the plants, and the interest in the pleasing and instruct- 

 ive talk of the speaker, were intense to the close of his remarks. 



At the close of Mr. Cochran's remarks, Mr. O. L. Barler, by 

 request of the President, entertained the audience for a few minutes with a 

 paper on " Hobby-Horses and Their Riders." 



REPORT ON ORNITHOLOGY. 



Prof. Cyrus Thomas, State Entomologist, had prepared a paper, at 

 the request of the President, upon Birds, and not being able to be present 

 had forwarded it to the Secretary, who read as follows : 



