264 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



FIRST DAY. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The Society convened, as per adjournment. 



ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS. 



Mr. M. B. Spafford, from the committee on orchards and vineyards, 

 read the following report : 



The cultivation of the apple, at the present time, challenges the 

 attention of the public on account of its being called king of fruits in our 

 climate. But as the word king is not used in this country to denote pre- 

 eminence, we will call it President. Some may object to the use of this 

 word just now, on account of the unpleasant odor attached to it, in its 

 connection with salary grab and credit mobilier; but the Patrons and 

 Farmers' Movement will remove all cause of fear on these accounts. 



In the successful cultivation of the orchard, several conditions are 

 necessary : 



I. We should set none but first-class, western grown trees, in a 

 healthy condition at the time of setting, and of varieties well adapted to 

 the soil and locality. 



II. Proper fitting of the ground and setting. 



III. Good care and annual cultivation and pruning. 



1. It will not be necessary, before this convention, to urge the 

 necessity of western grown trees, but still it is a fact that thousands of 

 trees are set annually, here in the West, from eastern nurseries, that are 

 nearly dead, and black in the heart when set, and are doing more to 

 injure our localities, and create an impression that this is not a fruit comi- 

 try, than all other causes combined ; and I can but think that our nurse- 

 rymen are to blame for not putting good, reliable canvassers into the field, 

 to counteract and check this nuisance. 



Adaptation to soil and climate is of very great importance, and I 

 know no better guide for the man about to set an orchard, than to find 

 the best one near him, and be guided by his neighbor's experience in 

 varieties and cultivation. 



By all means utterly refuse to listen to the blarney of a Yankee tree 

 peddler, and remember how our first mother came out by listening to the 

 first fruit dealer. Adaptation to locality is of very much importance 

 here. There are localities where Esopus Spitzenburg, Westfield Seek- 

 no-further, Rhode Island Greening, Northern Spy and Yellow Bellflower, 

 do very well among us, and these are reported as unfit for general culti- 

 vation. 



2. Fitting the Ground. — My practice is to back furrow the ground 

 about twice, and leave the dead furrow about ten to twelve inches deep 



