STATE HORTiCULTURAI. SOCIETV. 25 



Cherries also were quite abundant, and sold at alioul ten to twelve cents per quart, 

 or seven to ten cents per lb. Very few if any but Early Kichniund and Kentish are 

 raised in this neighborhood. 



Straivberries were as good a crop as usual and sold well. 



Rasphories. — The production of this delicious fruit is rapiiUy increasing, and yet it 

 commands remunerative prices. Bushels were sold and consuiue<i the last season, where 

 but a tew year>> ago scarcely a family consumeii a cjuart. It is a cheering sign, and prom- 

 i^es \scll for future moral health, as well as physical, that children are fed on more fruits 

 and fewer dead hogs. Heaven sj)eecl the day when swine's tiesh will pollute no man's 

 table or stomach. With the present facilities for procuring wholesome fruit, at comisar- 

 atively cheap rales, it is surprising that the wants of so many children are not supplied. 

 This natural fondness for fruit every fruit-gniwer knows by the anxiety manifested by 

 the youth for all kinds of fruits ; so much so that some are terajjled to partake without 

 leave. Vet who ever knew a boy to steal a dirty pig and eat it to the neglect of fruit. 

 •> Crapes. — In reference to Grapes we may say, that we have demonstrated theadapt- 

 bility of the country to the growth of this delightful and health-giving fruit, and that its 

 production is overdone, it being sold last fall below the cost of production ; still a great 

 many families consume but few , preferring to invest in dead animal matter. Ii is pleasant 

 however to know that the consumption of grapes is yearly increasing. 



Wherever there were Pt'ay trees large enough, good crojis of excellent fruit were 

 raised. 



1 cannot hear of the much talked of Miner Phtni producing any good results. I 

 know trees four inches in diameter and a spreading top of nine or ten feet diameter to 

 produce largely of blossoms but no fruit. Foi tiur climate and soil I think it is vastly 

 overrated. 



The crop of all kinds of fruit is so largely in excess of any previous year, and we 

 cannot discover but all slopes or levels are equally productive. Neither do we discover 

 that proximity to groves or timber belts has made any perceptible difference in results ; 

 all localities and soils producing well this year. 



Mr. L. K Scofield, the correspondent of this Society for Stephenson 

 County, writes from Freeport as follows:' 



" The year 1872 has been like the two previous years in respect to the fruit crop in 

 Stephenson County. W'e have been favored with a bountiful crop of ajjples, but with 

 the same deficiency as heretofore, in winter varieties — which deficiency is supplied by 

 importations from Michigan and New York. 



Farmers usually place too much dependence on tree-peddlers to make out their 

 fruit lists — not knowing exactly what they want themselves — and the result has been 

 that they have planted too many trees of fall and summer varieties." We only need to 

 plant winter varieties to secure a home supply of winter apples in future. 



The Ka>nho, yonathan, Ettt^lish Russet, Raw'es' yanet, lt^i//o':>.' Tzoig, Perry Rus- 

 set and Talman Sweet are some of the varieties that have come under my notice as 

 most productive and giving satisfactory results. 



I have noticed less ravages by the Curculio and Codling Moth than usual. 



There have been large quantities of Eastern trees sold in this county for a few years 

 past, but purchasers say they do not thrive any better — if as well — as those grown at 

 home and are usually ready to admit the foolishness of buying Eastern trees at exorbit- 

 ant prices. 



Pears. — Too little attention is given to the cultivation of the pear, yet there are 

 good results shown from its cultivation in this county. There are a few varieties which 

 seldom fail to bear a crop — among which is Flemish Beauty. 



Plums. — The Miner or Townsend plum has not, this year, verified statements as to 

 its annual bearing qualities ; there has been less than usual of this fruit in the market ; 

 yet it is the only sort with which we have had reasonable success, and I shall stand by it 

 until we can obtain some better sort on which we can depend for a crop. I have several 

 other varieties on my grounds, but have not been able to gather a quart of fruit from the 

 trees during the last five years. 



