STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 65 



The most ])<)))nliir ai)]»les in this county are: For Early — Rononi, 

 Red Astraehan and Early Harvest; fur Fall — Saps of Wine and 

 BiKkin<,'hani: for Winter — Ben Davis, and Winesap. More young 

 tfses planted this Fall than for many years. 



Respectfully vours, 



■ ' G. W. ENDICOTT. 



Frederick Hayden, Esq., Altou, III.: 



Dear Sir. — The gi'eat range of hills which cross our State at 

 Cobden continues southwest into Missouri, and forms a sort of semi- 

 circular shield against northwest winds, like the coast range of 

 mountains do to San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Los Angelos coun- 

 ties. California. 



There, it is true, the extremes are greater, from the border of 

 the warm Southern Ocean to the greater elevation of the mountain 

 ranges, but the conditions and consequences are similar. There the 

 low ]dains and valleys produce the orange and olive, while tlie high 

 hills and mountain })lains prcxluce the a})ple and pear in all theii- va- 

 riety and excellence. 



Here the valleys and low hills bordering on the Ohio and Mis- 

 sissippi i)roduce the early fruits and vegetables for the great '" North- 

 west." while the higher hills, which attain their maximum elevation 

 at Makanda and Cobden, succeed fairly well with winter fruits. 



It is very true that winter apples and ])ears are successfully 

 <,n-own (in exceptional ) coid seasons throughout this "Andalusia of 

 Illinois, still their profitable production in large quantities on the 

 warm, rich lands bordering the river, would be a reversal of the order 

 of nature. While these liorder lands are admirably situated for the 

 production and sale of all the earlier fruits and vegetables, they 

 hasten the ripening of late ones to such an extent that they mature 

 and perish before the restraining effect of cold weather arrives to 

 preserve them. 



There always has been, and always will ])e, greater sacrifices 

 made to produce the apple (in regions exceptionally warm) than will 

 be made for any other fruit, so manifestly is it the Prince of Fruits, and 

 much has been accomplished throughout the entire Southern States 

 to secure hardy varieties. Hut the future will probably be more fer- 

 tile in devices"^ for screening the soil and fruit from the sun, and in 

 providing cold caves and store-houses for apples gathered in Sejjtem- 

 ber. All earlv apples do well, but Red June. Astraehan and Be- 

 noni lead the way, with an Ohio Seedling known as '' Early Sugar 

 Loaf " coming in as quite equal to the latter in quality and much 

 finer in apj)earance, and an annual bearer, and perfectly hardy in 

 every respect. 



Thus,^ though we are now shut out from the })rofits and pleas- 

 ures of large crops of Bellfiowers. Pippens, Spitzenbergs, and Gold- 

 en Russets, we can have our Fall Wine. Winesa}). Fink, and " Celes- 



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