1g TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS . 



duced well, in others very little, probably owing to the enormous crop produced the 

 year before. Catawbas, except in a few favored localities, were badly winter-killed and 

 have produced nothing. The opinion is gaining ground that the Catawba must give 

 place to something more hardy and healthy. The Clinton is also being discarded on ac- 

 count of its liability to lose its leaves from the attacks of the thrips. Concord, Norton's 

 Virginia, and Ives' Seedling, are considered the most profitable varieties. 



The low prices of farm and orchard products, and the general pressure in monetary 

 affairs, is operating seriously against ornamental planting. 



Mr. Andrew Hagerman of Bushnell, correspondent for McDon- 

 ough County, sends interesting notes of the status of Horticulture in 

 that county: 



" In McDonough County an increasing attention to the cultivation of fruit is ob- 

 servable, especially in the newly settled districts. The main supply of apples — which 

 was almost the only kind of fruit raised by the early inhabitants — has been, heretofore, 

 from the southern and western portions of the county, which, being well supplied with 

 timber and running streams, were first settled, and have the oldest and most productive 

 orchards. In these days, however, one need not go far in any direction, to find among 

 our enterprising farmers a wealth of choice fruits, in variety, and suited to any tastes. 



Several flourishing nurseries, in different parts of the county, especially those in the 

 vicinity of Macomb and Bushnell are doing a prosperous business in furnishing trees 

 and other stock to the prairie farmers, who are fast improving the hitherto unimproved 

 lands, and who almost invariably adopt the commendable practice of planting trees, 

 shrubbery, and fruits of all desirable kinds. 



The past summer has been an unusually favorable one here for the horticulturist; 

 Our markets have been well supplied — at prices somewhat lower than usual — withap])les, 

 peaches and grapes ; and in less quantities with cherries, raspberries, strawberries, goose- 

 berries and currants — the last two varieties of small fruits not having perfected as well 

 as last year. 



The Apple is regarded as the king of fruits here, and is (very properly) the most 

 extensively cultivated. Of the varieties which succeed well in'this locality we may men- 

 tion as best in flavor and keeping qualities, the f2arly Harvest, Red June, Red Astrachan. 

 Summer Queen, Benoni, Am. Summer Pearmain, Sweet Bough, Sweet June, Maiden's 

 Blush, Sherwood's Favorite, Rambo, Bellflower", Golden Pippin, Spitzenberg, Winesap, 

 Janet, Small Romanite, Willow Twig, White Winter Pearmain. 



Pears are but little cultivated, and are not regarded as a success, either as dwarfs or 

 standards. Amateur horticulturists generally try a few on quince stocks to make up a 

 fuller variety in the garden, and sometimes raise a few specimens of the Bartlett, Duch- 

 esse de Angouleme, or Louise Bonne, before giving up the cultivation entirely. Pears 

 are a choice luxury, but hard to obtain. 



Peaches have yielded abundantly, wherever there are trees of bearing age. The chief 

 market supply however has come from Brown, Fulton, and other neighboring counties ;;. 

 prices ranging from fifty cents to one dollar and fifty cents per bushel : but from St. 

 Louis, seventy-five cents to one dollar per box. With suitable protection in the way of 

 hedges and timber belts, peach trees stand the rigors of our winters well enough to yield 

 remunerative crops. 



Cherries blossomed well, but were blighted by late freezings, so as to be almost 

 an entire failure this season ; and the same may be said of all the small fruits, excepting 

 in some favorable localities. 



The Grape crop, in McDonough County, has far exceeded anything heretofore, both 

 in quantity and excellent quality of fruit. It is much to be regretted, however, that 

 with such a superabundance of a most delicious fruit, so little, comparatively, should be 

 brought to the city and village markest, that the non-producing denizens thereof might 

 be permitted to share the blessing of health-giving, appetizing Concords, Catawbas, and 

 Isabellas. Three cents per pound in the vineyard, ancl four to five delivered, in bulk or 

 boxes, has been the average price. The favorite variety is the Concord ; and this is in- 



