104 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



January 11th found your delegate at Kankakee, at the 

 opening session of the twentieth annual meeting of the 

 Horticultural Society of Northern Illinois. A cordial recep- 

 tion. A free entertainment. Although there was but sev- 

 enteen present at the opening, the attendance increased to 

 fifty-three, the highest during the meetings. President M. 

 Barnard and Secretary E. W. Graves, of Sandwich, Illinois. 

 Prominent among the members was D. Wilmot Scott, Ga- 

 lena, who by the way is the next president, and the next an- 

 nual meeting will be at Galena, if the railroads give usual 

 reduction. Prof, J. S. Budd, Ames, Iowa, was delegate, and 

 added very much of interest to the meeting; also Rev. 

 Mimier, Messrs. Bryant & Son, Cotta, Piper, Whitney, War- 

 ner, Woodard, Hill, Small, and many not known to your 

 delegate. The same great lamentation over the loss of 

 orchards as at Jacksonville; and northern Illinois is looking 

 for Russians or seedlings to take the place of its dead pets. 

 Prof. Budd gave us two hours on Russian varieties. He 

 stated that the Aunis family came from 400 miles north ot 

 the home of the Duchess family. Of the Duchess type they 

 have about 200 varieties in Russia, giving fruit for three 

 months. He and Mr. Gibb found one variety that they both 

 decided to be a true Duchess of Oldenburg, but on cutting 

 found it a sweet apple. 



Of the Yellow Transparent family Prof. Budd considers 

 Thaler (346), Red Duck (60), Grand Sultan and (22 M.), 

 Blushed Calville of as good quality and much better tree, 

 freer from blights, than Yellow Transparent (334), each 

 kind distinct in tree but fruit very much the same. 

 Blushed Calville (No. 22 M.), best quality; August; good as 

 Dyer. There are twenty-six varieties of the department 

 list that compare favorably withour old sorts in quality 

 and size. Hibernal (378), Lead (92 M.), and Silkenleaf 

 (75 M., 104 M.), are bitter next the skin but when peeed 

 are of excellent quality and fine cooking apples. The 

 Assort (252), is of the Alexander type but later in the sea- 

 son. Gipsey Bohemian Girl (1227) Sep. one of the most 

 promising. 



Garden (214), Autumn, large, excellent, sweet. Early 



