ILLINOIS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 305 



January 22, 1872. — Reading of minutes. Reports of Committees. 

 Reading of essays by Messrs. Conden and Clark on the strawberry and 

 raspberry, and their culture. 



A general talk followed as to the best paying method of raising 

 strawberries. The majority were in fr.vor of thorough culture, while 

 others thought they had realized more money without any culture, sim- 

 ])lv keeping the weeds mowed off. 



Adjourned. 



January 29, 1872. — The subject of discussion at this meeting was 

 grape culture. Various theories were advanced. Mr. L. Dunlap's 

 spiral training was severely criticized, as not being attended with best 

 results. The wire trellis, with moderate pruning, seemed the prevailing 

 and most approved mode of training. 



Adjourned. 



February 3, 1872. — Society opened in due form. Subject for dis- 

 cussion, — 



Resolved, Thai birds are an enemy to the horticulturist, and ought to be de- 

 stroyed. 



The society was about evenly divided on the subject, and a very 

 interesting discussion was the result. The friends of the feathered tribe 

 coming off first best. The following resolution was adopted : 

 Resolved, That in the economy of nature, birds are helpmates of man. 



Adjourned. 



February 10. — Subject, same as last meeting. An essay was read 

 in favor of birds by John Owen, the drift of the discussion being in fa- 

 vor of birds. 



February 17. — Subject, grape-culture first year. 



February 24. — Subject, grape-culture second and third years. 



March 2. — .A further discussion of grape-culture. 



March 9. — Subject, planting and necessary care of an ajjple orch- 

 ard, how old the trees should be, distance apart, how to plant and prune^ 

 what crops to grow among the trees (an essay was read on the subject) 

 what varieties to plant. 



^L1rch 16. — A continuance of the subject of last meeting. Two 

 essays read on the subject. A list of apples for this locality made out. 



March 23. — Subject for discussion same as last meeting.' 



April 27. — A short discussion on pear culture. An essay read. 

 The balance of evening spent in distribution of seeds from the De- 

 partment of Agriculture at Washington. 



May 4. — Subject, strawberry culture, etc. ■ 



May 18. — Vegetable gardening. 



May 25. — Subject, will strawberries degenerate from any cause .' 

 Also, the propriety of raising the price of picking berries, with the view 

 of bringing out a better class of pickers. 



December 7. — The evening was mostly spent in the election of of- 

 ficers for the ensuing year. 



