310 ' ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Hollister — I would be shy about cutting large limbs. Heavy 

 pruning is not good at any time. 



Mr. Hayden — The idea prevails that there is no money in keeping 

 fruit for high prices, because of the loss by decay and rot. Now, I have 

 some facts on this subject which ought to be of interest to apple growers. 

 I am told by my commission merchant in Chicago that they buy u]j in 

 the fall all the apples they have money to buy, at about $2.00 per barrel. 

 They store them in one of the Chicago fruit-houses till spring, paying a 

 small price for storage, and they come out in the spring with small loss, 

 and are sold as high as $10.00 per barrel. It seems to me there is some 

 opening here for apple men. 



Mr. Stewart — Mr. Benson, here, has experience in keeping apples, 

 I would like to hear from him. 



Mr. Benson — I keep apples for the spring market, and have usually 

 received from $4.25 to $8.00 per barrel. 



Mr. Hollister — Apples are keeping this year better than usual. 

 The idea of holding for large prices may do, but only in limited quanti- 

 ties, and when you have packed your own fruit and know what it is. My 

 experience in former years has been satisfactory. But the markets are 

 changing. Our market now is South, rather than North; but the South 

 now is full of Eastern apples, and our time has not yet come. It is yet 

 too early to sell our apples in that market. We have now a brisk compe- 

 tition from the East, and besides, the demand is for a better quality of 



apples. 



VINEYARDS. 



Mr. Hayden — I have a few words to say in regard to the prospects 

 of vineyardists in this locality. In the southern part of this State many 

 have grubbed up their vines, and north of us the crops fail. A gentle- 

 man from Warsaw told me that their vineyards did not bear well. We 

 also know that Missouri is complaining of rot. I think, from these scraps 

 of information, we may draw the conclusion that, right here about Alton 

 we are peculiarly and favorably situated for growing grapes. We are free 

 from rot, almost entirely, and our vineyards are in good condition and 

 bear well. So I think we may hope that grape-growing will pay ev5n 

 better than in the past. Mr. Hayden explained that he thought he had 

 been, on former occasions, misunderstood in regard to attempting to 

 grow too many grapes on a vine. While he had found almost no limit 

 to the quantity which a vigorous, healthy Concord vine would bear, still 

 he conceded that it was the greatest folly to tax a vine that ought not to 



