20 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Mr. Flagg. — What was it that injured the grape vines? 



Mr. Wier. — I suppose it was the dry weather, together with the 

 cold winter. The Delaware bore a heavy crop, but the wet weather in- 

 jured the foliage. 



Mr. Earle. — What caused the leaf blight in the pears .^ 



Mr. Wier. — The extreme hot, dry weather, followed by hot, wet 

 weather. 



Dr. Humphrey. — I do not believe that the freezing up of vines in- 

 jures them if they remain frozen through the winter. It is the frequent 

 freezing and thawing of the vines that injures them. 



Mr. Wier. — I am very well convinced that the injury done to the 

 roots of grape vines last year was the dryness of the soil. My vines 

 that were on the more elevated and dry soils were injured. Those 

 planted below in soils more moist were not injured. 



The President. — Gentlemen^ if there is no further discussion to be 

 had upon this report, as Mr. Douglass is not ready to report, I will call 

 for that of Samuel Edwards, Vice President for the Second District. 



Mr. Edwards then read the following comprehensive report. , 



REPORT OF THE SECOND HORTICULTURAL DISTRICT. 



Mr. President^ and Fellotv Members : 



In presenting my Report I will first give the communications received 

 from correspondents in several counties within my district. 



BUREAU COUNTY. 



Verrv Aldrich, of Tiskilwa, writes that apples of nearly every variety bore to 

 their utmost capacity. 



Baldwin trees, that iiad never before given much fruit were loaded. Some of his 

 trees of this variety bearing from twenty to thirty bushels each. 



Red Canada has proved one of the best. 



Rhode Island Greenings bore very full and the fruit was the finest he ever saw. He 

 picked these in September, when still green, and stored up about one hundred bushels 

 " to go through winter as an experiment." 



The Stark fruited but moderately — not up to hisexpectations — -but he thinks it may 

 do better when the trees acquire greater age ; this fruit,dropped much more than Wil-, 

 low and Ben Davis. " These last two varieties are more profitable than any others that 

 I have". 



" Grimes" s Golden fruited a liltle ujion four year^ old grafts, set in bearing trees, but 

 the fruit all dropped before the last of October. The fruit was mellow, of good quali- 

 ty, though too small, and ripening too eai'ly for profit here." He mentions the Newtown 

 Pippin, Red Seekno/urther, (?) White Winter Pearinain, Michael Henry Pippin and 

 May (of Myers) as scabbing badly, and of little value. 



The Pennsylvania Vandeveie aud Sweet Romanite he condemns as utterly worth- 

 less on his grounds. 



