APPEXPTX TO STATE SOCIETY'S REPORT. 351 



brown thrush is the only one in the catalogue which makes any effort to 

 repay us in song for the fruit upon which they fatten themselves and rear 

 their young, and I believe that a pair or two of them around a house 

 during the summer season will not go south without leaving a balance in 

 their favor, and be heartily welcomed upon their return in spring. But, 

 if in return for the services of the others mentioned they destroy the 

 entire fruit crop, as they do upon many small plantations, would it not 

 be better to leave us the insects, and give us a slight show for fruit, than 

 to step in, just as the harvest time arrives, and appropriate everything to 

 themselves? 



It is not uncommon here to see a flock of two or three hundred 

 robins, after the breeding season is at an end, and when they settle upon 

 a vineyard it reminds one very forcibly of taxation without representation. 

 The cry from this quarter continually is, give us a less number of birds, 

 or give us a voice in selecting them. 



Report of the Fourth District. 



BY ALBERT DUNLAP. 



The horticultural interest in the Fourth District is receiving its 

 usual attention, notwithstanding many of our commercial fruit-growers 

 have not found it as profitable as they had anticipated. Nearly every 

 farmer recognizes the importance of planting an orchard, as one of his 

 first duties. Some of the first apple orchards planted are beginning to 

 decay, but those set as early as 1858, that have received proper attention, 

 are still profitable. The damage done by the late severe winters was not 

 so serious as many anticipated, many orchards not showing any damage. 

 Peach trees were mostly destroyed, and in some cases the Early Richmond 

 cherry. 



The fruit crop the past season was good, and the fruit quite free 

 from insect depredations. Pears and peaches were a failure, the fruit 

 having been injured by late frosts. Several extensive pear orchards have 

 been planted in this district, but, so far as our knowledge goes, all have 

 been destroyed by the blight, with one exception. Mr. H. C. Smith, of 

 Tolono, in Champaign county, has a pear orchard of 1,600 trees, planted 

 several years ago, that is still in good condition. The blight has killed 

 some of the trees, but the vacancies have been filled each year. The 

 orchard consists of standard and dwarf trees, but Mr. Smith now thinks 



