342 TRANSACTIONS OF THE JO DAVIESS 



Mrs. Parker called attention to the fact that the common sun- 

 flower, in growing, is thought to have sanitary powers and influence 

 similar to those of the far-famed Eucalyptus globolus, so that by a 

 liberal growth of sunflowers an unhealthy, miasmatic location may 

 become salubrious. 



Mr. Crummer recommended that for starting plants grown from 

 fine delicate seeds, sown in pots, the pots be stood in saucers of 

 water in preference to having the surface of the soil sprinkled or 

 deluged, as is commonly done. 



APRIL MEETING. 



The April meeting was held at Mrs. J. Hellman's. 



Mr. W. F. Crummer, on behalf of bureau of Fruit Culture, read 

 a full and exhaustive paper on the strawberry and its culture. He 

 spoke of the special susceptibility of this fruit to influences of soil 

 and location. For his vicinity, in West Galena, he recommended 

 Miner's Great Prolific, Sharpless, Chas. Downing, Mt. Vernon, Cres- 

 cent, Glendale, Cumberland, Triumph and Bidwell. Of Raspberries 

 — red, Cuthbert and Turner; Idack, Gregg and Mammoth Cluster — 

 make it mostly Gregg. Blackberries — Snyder (old Ironclad) better 

 to withstand severe cold than our native wild one; Ancient Briton, 

 Taylor's Prolific. 



Mr. Hallett, in reply to a cjuestion referred to him, submitted 

 the following answer: Our plantation (of blackberries and raspber- 

 ries) was set in the spring of ISSO, and although we have reset it in 

 many places each spring since, we have by no means what we con- 

 sider a good stand of canes at present. The plants, though not 

 difficult 1o transplant, seem not very tenacious of life while young, 

 and are easily ruined by the high winds that frequently prevail dur- 

 ing some part of the summer. In 1882 we commenced picking 

 raspberries July '4th, and Ijlackberries July 21, harvesting about one 

 thousand quarts per acre of the former, and one thousand two hun- 

 dred quarts per acre of the latter. The quantity would have been 

 decidedly less had it not been for the timely rains which seemed to 

 come "nights and Sundays" during the picking season. The soil is 

 similar to that of our table-lands in this vicinity, with the clay pre- 

 dominating. It might be called good corn ground. It has a general 

 northern inclination and is naturally well drained. 



