24 TRANSACTIONS OF THE TI.f.TNOiS 



malion of the hilly Jo Daviess, that this fruit is repaying the best for the labor Viestowed 

 upon it. Mr. Zius had again a fine and abundant harvest ; Mr. Goulard's vineyard 

 brought a fine crop ; Messrs. Schmidt and Schclier had their vines overladen with tine 

 fruit. My \ines, about one thousand Concords, planted in May, 1870, yielded o\er two 

 thousand two hundred lbs. There are seVeral kinds cultivateii, but the Concord is the 

 plant for the million ; my J I ait ford Prolific did so well that I shall plant more of them. 

 Although not of a very good quality, it is two weeks earlier than the Concord and there- 

 fore commands a higher jirice. My Clintons suflered greatly by the insect that u-.ually 

 infests this variety. 



4 Our Northwestern Normal School is prosperous as far as I can see. The number 

 of scholars from aljroad is increasing. The action of the Legislature proves that our 

 institution took the proper course from its beginning, by introducing Horticulture and 

 the Natural Sciences. But it is very singular that institutions, supported by the state, 

 and yet being of less general usefulness than our own — " which has to hoe its own row,'' 

 are also generously helped along by privates, while we here are left in the cold and no 

 aid given us from any part of ihe wealthy state of Illinois. 



Are religious institutions below par in Illinois? Never was I treated so shabbily 

 in Wisconsin, where I taught nine years, and with less power and experience. 



Not that we have a special claim, but I know that our limited means also limits our 

 usefulness. And any man likes to be as useful as possible when engaged in such work 

 as we are. 



Yet tietter times may possibly be in store for us. 



Very respectfully yours, 



J. Wernli. 



C. H. Keim, of Mt. Carroll, correspondent for Carroll County, re- 

 ports substantially the following : 



The Applk crop iu this county was a fair yield though not large> owing probably 

 to the over-bearing of the trees in 1871. There is an e.vcess of Summer and Fall vari- 

 eties over Winter sorts. 



Varieties that succeeded best this year, in this vicinity, are Red Stripe (.?), Early 

 Pennock, Tienton Early, Ped Astrachan, Alaiden s Bliisk, Sno-w. and IVinesap. yel- 

 low Bell/lower did better than lor several previous years. 



Pear culture is so limited that I am not able to report upon it. 



Cherries were an average crop. 



Plums were a failure. 



Grapes were abundant, though not of the best quality — many varieties not ripen- 

 ing their fruit. 



Concord, Creveling, Delaivare, and Salem were most remunerative. 



Blackberries produced a poor crop. 



Raspberries. — Matnmoth Chtster and Doo little gave a large yield. 



Strawberries. — The varieties tested here are Wilson and Green Prolific, which 

 produced a good crop. 



W. E. Lukens, correspondent for Whiteside County, sends the fol- 

 lowing report. 



" The chief that can be said in reference to the fruits of this I'egion, can be said in 

 a very few words, namely : Fruits of all varieties attempted to be raised in this locali- 

 ty are very abundant and of excellent qtiality. 



This part of Illinois has never before been so amply blessed with so large, and so 

 fine a crop oi Apples. There were some wormy and defective ones, but a larger propor- 

 tion of sound, fine apples than has ever been known here before. Many persons who 

 have large orchards found it impossible to dispose of all that were even good that fell 

 prematurely from the trees. But good picked apples sold at from forty to fifty cents 

 per bushel. A considerable amount sought a market where the people were not so 

 blessed with fruit as we. 



