^g TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOtS 



Apple crop good in this state, but just in this county not more than one half or 

 two thirds of a full crop, and the market is not such as to be encouragnig to fruit grow- 

 ers. The best apples ai^e only bringing — on the line of the railroad — one dollar a 

 barrel, the buyers doing their own packing, and as they furnish their own barrels, they 

 contract with the coopers for large barrels, holding fully three bushels. 



My own crop — mostly xVofthern Spy — I shall, as usual, put in my cellar, and mar- 

 ket in the spring. 



Truly Vours, 



B. Hathaw.^y. 



MR. EDWARDS' PERSONAL REPORT. 



In Bureau County we have al)undant cause for gratitude to the Lord 

 of the harvest tor bountiful crops of nearly all the fruits usually grown 

 in our latitude. 



Strawberries were of fine quality but the yield was moderate. 



Currants and Gooseberries bore well, and none of the Currant 

 Worms seen or heard from in this vicinity. 



Cherries. — Early Richmonds bore about half a crop ; English Mo- 

 rellos were loaded ; but very little fruit could be found upon trees of 

 the Duke and Heart varieties. 



Raspberries of all varieties were abundant. 



Blackberries. ^ — Kittalinny bore moderately, and appears hardier 

 than the Lawton. 



Peaches fruited a little, for the fourth year of successive bearing, 

 among our evergreens; they will be considerably planted in this vicinity. 



Plums set full of fruit, which all rotted and fell prematurely. 



Pears. — Most varieties in bearing, gave a fair crop, with but very 

 little blight. Standards, only, are now planted. 



Apples were abundant and fair, with no increase of the Codling 

 Moth. Russets are more exempt from injury by this pest than any other 

 varieties. 



At the time of gathering, good winter varieties were bought by 

 shippers at twenty-five cents per bushel ; they are now, December jih, pay- 

 ing fifty to fifty-five cents, with the prospect that in the spring, as usual, 

 they will command one dollar or more. Last April, Red Romanites 

 brought a dollar and twenty-five cents per bushel delivered on the cars 

 at Mendota, and at the same time the previous year a dollar and sixty- 

 seven cents. 



The great extent of country north, west, and south of us, dependent 

 upon us especially for late keeping varieties will probably give us a good 

 market for all our surplus winter apples. 



In one orchard, planted in i860, sheltered on all sides by belts of 

 evergreens now thirty feet or more in height, the fruit of Willotv Twig, 

 especially, along the south side of the orchard, appears to sufter from 

 fungus, and it is proposed to cut out a tree occasionally, from the screen 

 in the hope that the air will then have circulation enough to prevent the 

 injury mentioned. 



Grapes of all varieties cultivated here were loaded with fruit of 

 fine quality, which sold as low as four cents per pound. 



