o86 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Mr. Rielil — Would advise planting peach trees every year where 

 practicable, and ajjple trees every five years; is going to propagate 

 the Kieffer pear extensively. 



Mr. Jackson — Thinks it is a mistake to plant orchards on poor 

 ground, or on land that has been exhausted by previous crops of any 

 kind. 



Mr. Pearson stated that Madison County was only credited in 

 the Assessor's report (as published by the State Agricultiiral Board) 

 with one hundred and twelve acres of peach orchards, whereas, there 

 is more than that amount in the Township of Godfrey alone. 



(There are other discrepancies in the above report, l)ut they 

 relate to agricultural more than horticultural products. — Secretary.) 



SMALL FRUITS. 



Mr. President: 



As the spring will soon lie here your committee begs leave to 

 offer a few hints on planting. 



For strawberries the best piece of land on the place should be 

 selected. If it has not been previously done it should be well en- 

 riched^ for you must not expect to raise line berries on land that will 

 not grow Yankee beans. There is such a thing as getting ground 

 too rich for berries, but the majority are not apt to err in this direc- 

 tion. 



In plowing the soil should be worked to the depth of twelve or 

 fourteen inches. To do this it will be necessary to use a sub-soil 

 plow. 



For the nuitted row system I would have the rows from three 

 feet to three feet eight inches apart, depending on the variety 

 planted, the wider rows for the ranker growing sorts, and about six- 

 teen inches in the row. Use a line to plant by. 0])en the holes for 

 the plants with a s])ade by pushing it into the ground about six 

 inches and moving it backwards and forwards, leaving a slit about 

 one and one-half inches wide oii top and six inches deep. Spread 

 out the roots and carefully insert, pressing the soil very firmly against 

 them. Plant the varieties best suited to your soil and method of 

 cultivation, which can only be told by actual trial. 



When planting blackberries and raspberries in the spring, if the 

 plants are to lie procured at a distance, the sooner they are in the 

 ground the better; but when they can be dug and planted soon after, 

 I have succeeded best by waiting until after the buds have started. 

 All old wood should be taken out now. I prefer to postpone prun- 

 ing bearing canes, until after growth has started, then one can tell 

 just what to cut, and what not. 



