82 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



" Fruit crops this year, in this section, are almost an entire faihire ; the Black Cap 

 and Philadelphia Raspberry and Concord Grape being about the only exceptions. 



" I will mention a few things that have not proven hardy here : The English Wal- 

 nut and Spanish Chestnut have always been killed to the ground before getting large 

 enough to bear. Laburnum and Paulonia Imperialis, ditto. Chinese Magnolia ( Obe- 

 vata). Rhododendron, English Yew, Tree Box, Mahonia, Cypressus Lawsoniana, 

 Enonymus, Golden Arbor Vitoe and European Silver Fir, are not hardy or satisfactory 

 here, but might do with protection from the sun in winter and from our March winds. 



"Orchards should have clean culture until they begin to bear, then should be 

 seeded down with Red Clover, and the clover crop left on as a mulch. A heavy mulch 

 of straw, leaves or litter, is very beneficial to trees, shrubs and vines. A tough blue 

 grass sod is very injurious. 



" The Newtown Pippin Apple has proved to be one of the best and most productive 

 Apples with us, and I think deserves more attention than it receives. The hardy varie- 

 ties of the Magnolia are too much neglected by those who are ornamenting their grounds. 

 The M. Accuminata, M. Tripetela and M. Glauca, succeed admirably here, and only 

 need to be seen in leaf and flower to be appreciated. The Magnolia Glauca, though a 

 native of swampy land, succeeds very well here if cultivated while young; it grows ten 

 or fifteen feet high. The other varieties are beautiful, smooth, symmetrical ti'ees, very ap- 

 propriate for planting near buildings. The Virgilia Lutea, the Tulip tree, the Ginko 

 tree. White Birch, Purple Leaved Beech, Larch andM ountain Ash, are also beautiful 

 trees for shade and ornament, and ought to be more generally planted. 



" Fearing that I may be taking up too much space, I will close." 



COLES COUNTY. 



Tyra Montgomery writes from Mattoon, in answer to inquiries sent 

 him, as follows : 



" Dear Sir : In reply to your card, requesting the result of my observations in 

 regard to certain topics, I respectfully submit the following as notes under the different 

 headings : 



" ' The effects of the past winter upon trees, shrubs and vines ' have been severe, 

 and many orchards have been almost ruined, especially on clay soil in the timber lands. 



" Peach trees nearly all killed. 



" Pear trees injured, followed by blight. 



" Cherry trees not hurt much. May Duke and Early May came out all right and 

 gave a fair crop of fruit. Some, however, on Morello were killed, but old, well estab- 

 lished trees did well. 



" I remark in regard to Apple and Peach trees, that the two very dry seasons past, 

 bad care — bringing weeds and borers — left the trees in the worst possible condition to 

 endure such severe cold. Very little damage was done to trees in nursery rows, or 

 orchards where proper care and labor had been bestowed on the trees. 



" The Concord bore a fair crop and was not hurt; Hartford did not do well ; Del- 

 aware still worse; Clinton, Catawba, Diana, etc., bore no fruit, and vines killed. 



" Small fruits were more or less injured. 



" Blackberries, no crop. 



" Black Raspberries, light. 



" Currants and Gooseberries, very light. The Kittatinny, which before proved 

 hardy and gave such general satisfaction, yielded to the frost of last winter and can no 

 longer reproach the old Lawton. 



" Upon the whole, these effects should discourage no one. Plant good stock, take 

 good care of your orchards, keep clean and clear of insects, and the cold winters need 

 not cause any great alarm. 



"As the subject of protection, or the ' influence of adjacent groves or belts of timber 

 upon orchards and vineyards ' will, when properly understood and practiced, be a great 



