STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 21 



Mr. Ellsworth's letter contained a recommendation that the Society 

 send a delegate to Springfield this winter to secure the passage of the 

 bills of this Society by the General Assembly. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ORCHARD CULTURE. 



The Secretary stated that the members of this committee were not 

 present, and that but one of them had forwarded a report. He then 

 read the following from Dr. L. S. Pennington, of Whiteside county: 



Sterling, Tli,., Dec. i, 1873. 

 O. B. Galusha, Secretary Illinois Horticultural Society : 



Friend: — I regret exceedingly my inability to attend the coming 

 annual meeting of our Society — to look again on those old familiar faces, 

 and listen to their deliberations. 



With the Committee on Orchard Culture I regret tliat I cannot make 

 a more full rei)ort of this section of our State — Northern Illinois. 



To the orchardist the winter of 1872 and 1873 '^^'i^^ ^^"& ^^ remem- 

 bered for its great severity, and the following summer for its almost 

 unprecedented drought ; as a consequence, the nearly entire failure of 

 our fruit crop. 



The subject of Orchard Culture is one embracing such a variety of 

 topics that one scarcely knows where to begin in order to present some 

 new feature that may be of interest. I should fear to speak of it in any 

 of its phases, were it not that almost every year develops some new feature 

 not before known. 



The introduction of new varieties, their acclimation, the change of 

 our seiLsons, and the rapid increase of destructive insects — all these 

 retpiire from the horticulturist eternal vigilance. 



Among the early planters in the State, 1 still feel that it requires 

 greater watchfulness and a deeper research to master many of the every 

 day problems presented for our consideration in this calling. 



In this connection I will mention some of the requisites for a more 

 successful orchard culture. It has often and as truly been said that an 

 orchard, to succeed, must be planted on land well elevated and on a 

 soil, if not by nature, by art, well drained. 



It is a question how far shelter belts can be made to protect from 

 the frosts of spring or from the cold of winter. My experience is, that 

 trees planted for this purpose alone are of ([uestionable utility. 



I have found that elevated and northern declivities are points more 

 desirable for fruit culture. The recollection is still fresh in my mind of 

 having seen, when traveling over this county (Whiteside), prior to 

 1855-6, the more tender fruits, such as the peach, in full bloom on the 

 most bleak and what would seem most unfriendly spot, while in places 

 more level and sheltered not a blossom could be found. 



I would in no wise discourage tree ijlanting; I believe it-should be 

 encouraged both by the State and individuals. For our fruit-bearing 



