STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 83 



well for a few years, then the trees gradually stopped growing and 

 became unproductive, and many trees covered with bark lice. Two 

 years since they were washed with lye and pruned, the ground broken 

 up, and well cultivated. The trees have renewed their vigor, are nearly 

 free from bark lice, and loaded with fruit, which, but for the codling- 

 moth, would be very superior. Soil is ordinary prairie, with lime rock 

 about five feet below the surface, sufficiently inclined to be surface 

 drained." 



The other orchard that I instance is in Grundy County, on mod- 

 erately rolling prairie land, with clay sub-soil. I also quote from notes 

 of this orchard as follows : 



"Orchard planted seventeen years ago. Present owner came into 

 possession two years since; found the orchard 'in a deplorable condition;' 

 trees stunted and lousy ; had been seeded down to clover, he knows not 

 how long, and crop saved for hay. Two years since he dug up tlie earth 

 under the trees as far out as the limbs extc?ided and spread manure over 

 the ground, putting it thicker where dug than on spaces between the 

 trees; scraped the rough bark from trunks and largest branches; mowed 

 the clover and let it remain on the ground. The same, except the 

 scraping, was repeated this year. This orchard now shows almost per- 

 fection in vigor, productiveness, and quality of fruit. " I think the fruit 

 from an acre will bring more money than from any other one seen this 

 year. 



Before leaving this subject of cultivation, I will say that orchards 

 upon what is called " flat prairie " land, or that with just enough descent 

 — and nearh- all jDrairie has this — to let the water pass oft' in furrows, have 

 been found doing tolerably well wherever the trees had been planted upon 

 a slight ridge or back-furrow, and the land afterwards plowed towards the 

 trees until the surface along the rows was about two feet higher than in 

 the furrows between them, ditches being opened at the lower ends of the 

 rows through which the water can pass off'. This fact should encourage 

 • all who have only such land on which to plant, to do likewise in hope of 

 good returns. 



Protection to Orchards. — There has been no new light thrown upon 

 the subject of timber protection to orchards during this year. The oft- 

 repeated view of many members of this Society that suitable protection 

 to orchards by belts and groves of timber is advantageous, seems to be 

 re-affirmed from year to year. I have, however, seen a few instances in 

 which an excess of protection seems to have been given, diminishing the 

 productiveness of the orchards. These orchards were closed in on all 

 sides but the south by belts of trees, so dense and so close to the outer 

 row as to prevent sufficient circulation of air through them. It has often 

 been said that certain kinds of trees are " poison to an orchard." 1 give 

 the following Hicts to induce observations in this direction : 



On the east side of an orchard in Kendall County stands a closely 

 planted row of black-walnut trees about forty feet high. These trees 

 were planted at the same time as the orchard, viz: twenty years ago, and 

 twenty two feet from the outer row of orchard trees. The apple trees in 



