72 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



the truth to assert that, instead of progressing in horticulture, particularly in reference to 

 orchard fruits, in this county, we remain about in statu quo. The cold of last winter 

 was undoubtedly the most severe ever experienced in this locality by the oldest settler — 

 the mercury at one time 34° below zero, and we had several cold snaps when it indi- 

 cated 20° below. Many of the bearing trees were therefore veiy much injured, some 

 killed outright, and much of the new purchase of nursery stock — probably fifty percent, 

 of it, or more — proved to be good for nothing. It is the opinion of our best orchardists 

 that the per cent, of injury done to the bearing Apple trees by the cold of that memor- 

 able winter cannot be known until another season, and that it would be merely specula- 

 tive and unsatisfactory to attempt to give the facts at the present time. 



" It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good, however. The cold which has done 

 so much injury mav compensate in a degree by adding to our stock of knowledge as to 

 the hardy kinds of fruits — a question which is very important to settle, both to the orch- 

 ardist and to the nurseiyman. Therefore, the privilege of comparing the notes of the 

 different contributors, and reading the discussions of the learned and observing, which 

 will appear in the " Transactions," will render the forthcoming volume of the Society 

 invaluable for the information it may contain upon this subject alone — the injury done 

 to trees, shrubs and vines the past pointer. 



" All fruit trees are supposed to be more or less injured. An imperfect list is 

 appended of the Apple, the crop of which for 1873 is not one-fourth of that of the season 

 of 1872, when this county exported thousands of bushels : 



" Winter. — Rawles' Janet, Winesap, Domine, Willow Twig, Golden Russet, Limber 

 Twig, Tolman Sweet, Northern Spy, Red Romanite, Newtown Pippin, Seek-no-further 

 Bellflower, Rambo, Jonathan, are mentioned as apparently the least injured. Pa. Red 

 Streak, Michael Henry Pippin, Milam, Ben Davis, Winter Pearmain, Sweet Vandevere, 

 as tender and most injured. 



" Fall. — Snow (or Fameuse) Maiden's Blush, Sops of Wine, Fall Wine — hardy. 

 Fall Winesap, Autumn Swaar — tender. 



" Sutniner. — Red June, Early Harvest — hardy. 



" Peaches. — An entire failure of trees and fruit. 



" Pears. — Very much injured ; crop a failure. 



" Cherries. — Apparently hardy ; about one-fourth of a crop, though the Early Rich- 

 mond did the best. 



" Grapes. — Hardy, and generally a good crop. 



" Gooseberries. — Houghton's Seedling, hardy, and an abundant crop of the fruit. 



" Currants. — White, black and red, hardy; about one-eighth of a crop. 



" Raspberries. — Black cap, hardy, and a good crop. 



" Straiuberries. — Wilson's Albany, hardy ; crop abundant. 



" There is nothing in our mode of cultivation, as a general rule, as orchardists or 

 fruit-growers, that can commend it to others to practice. We are good patrons of the 

 nurseryman in the way of purchasing his commodities, and the annual purchases are 

 largely upon the increase ; but when the article— whether a tree, vine, shrub or flower 

 — is once set out, it is left too often to struggle for itself, for the want of time, and for 

 having ' too many other irons in the fire' to attend to it. Good cultivation, judicious 

 and timely pruning, an irrepressible warfare against the increasing insect tribes, draining 

 in many instances, and protection, are all essential to the success of the horticulturist ; 

 and when these matters are properly attended to, the result will be a better quality of 

 fruit and larger pecuniary returns for the investment. 



"We have no nurseries in our county, consequently the stock is all purchased from 

 abroad ; and the experience of another season is added to former ones, that it is better 

 to patronize home institutions — and those as near home as they can be found — in mak- 

 ing selections. It is to the interest of our home nurseries to keep and to know what is 

 wanted in the line of the useful or ornamental, and so evidently is it the mutual interest 

 of the farmer or fruit-grower to patronize them, it is surprising that those itinerant 

 speculators, with bottled specimens and fabulous prices, hailing from other states^ 

 should be so successful in fleecing the natives as they were the past season. 



"W. H. BUTLER." 



