SOCIETY OK NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 20" 



Question Does it do any lianu? 



Ariswered hy Mr. Whitney — Yes. it dops harm \)\ drivini? 

 other hirds away. 



Mr. Hallett asked if we had the 'jjenuiiie Hn^lish sparrow y 



Mr. Kelhjg<i: thought nut that it was tlu' wroug- kind. 



Mr. Hill — So far as \ have observed they are the <ifenuine 

 Enfi;lish sparrow, aiid our l)r()ther FiUglisluueu would l)e fjlad to send 

 them all over to us. 



ORCHARD CULTURE. 



HY (X H. GALUSHA. 



•'There is nothiuii; new under the sun."" saith the proverb. 

 Every occurrence nuiy he hut the repetition of a fornun* one whicdi 

 had an existence in some cycle of recurring phenomena in the more 

 or less remote part ; yet we know that coml)inations of natural ele- 

 ments and natural causes are yearly occurring which are lunv to us. 

 and which (hMuand investigation if we would be benefited by thenu 

 Hence, in our favoi-itc art of horticulture we have aiu])le scope for 

 observation, aiul hiul enough tliat is new to give sutficient variety to 

 our modes of treatnu'iit of soil. tree, plant, and insect aiul other 

 enemies to redeem our labor from monotony, and our niiiuls from 

 dullness incident upon working continually in the same treadmill, 

 and thinking in the same intellectual ruts. 



It is true that the fundamental principles underlying orchard 

 culture, as well as all culture, are immutable; yet constant study is 

 required to adjust our methods to the ever-varying conditions sur- 

 rounding primal law. and through which only we can work in accord 

 with it. 



It cannot be said, then, that if we w rite ujion orchard culture 

 we can but ''repeat the old. old story."' At least it must be the '"old 

 song" with variations and new accom])aninients. 



The year LS8H will huig he rememlM'red. Ijy those who live to re- 

 member, as a year re])lete with unusual meteorological phenomena. 

 The intense severity of the cold during the winter of "82-'8H 

 damaged the orchards to an extent sur|)assing that of any winter 

 since bsr),")-",")!). Many varieties of a))])le trees formerly considered 

 hardv were either entirely destroyed or so l)adly damaged as to he 

 of no value hereafter. Ben Davis. Domine. Minkler. Hawle's .lanet. 

 Wagoner. VVinesap ami some others, are either dead or in a precarious 

 condition: and the eipial severity of the winter of LSSH-"S4. through 

 which we are now passing, will possildy nearly coui])lete the ijestnu- 

 tiou of these, and still farthei- inijioverish the coiiditicui of many 

 other sorts hitherto considered hardy, wiiich weie also somewhat 

 damaged. 



