STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 35 



their g-rounds with evergreens, and even spending an occasional hour in 

 the tlower garden, assisting their wives and daugliters in its preparation 

 and aiTangement. If we expect to keep up an interest in Horticulture, 

 we must turn our attention more to this its most delightful hranch, and 

 endeavor, hv precept and example, to create and encourage a taste for 

 home emhellishment. Outside the list of amateur and professional 

 horticulturists, very little of this work has yet been done. But if we, as 

 a society and individuals, pcrseveringly pursue our legitimate work, many 

 of us who are here assembled to-day may live to see this, our noble 

 prairie State, the fairest spot the sun beholds in his daily course from sea 

 to sea, what it is capable of becoming — the garden of the world. 

 All of which is respectfully submitted. 



A. C. HAMMOND. 



Mr. Hammond's report was received and ordered to be printed. 



The President stated that all reports of regular committees would 

 take this course, unless some member objected. 



E. Daggy presented the report of Tyra Montgomery, Vice-President 

 of the Fourth District, which, upon request, he read : 



REPORT OF THE FOURTH HORTICULTURAL DISTRICT. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Illinois State Horticultural 

 Society : 



In accordance with the duties incumbent on me as one of your vice- 

 presidents, I herewith sul}mit some of my observations, also those of 

 others who have kindly furnished me with the same. 



The past season has been a remarkable one, free from those deluging 

 rains that often fall in April and May. We have suflered verv little 

 from the drouth, and, so far as agriculture is concerned, everytliing has 

 gone lovely. In the tree planting interest there has beeiT greater loss 

 than, perhaps, for years, owing chiefly, no doubt, to the October freeze 

 of '69; and this has not been confined to trees transplanted from nursery 

 row to orchards, but many orchards suffered severely, and some \'arieties 

 in pj^rticular, such as Rambo, Maiden's Blush, Golden Russet, Roman 

 Stem, Rome Beauty, etc. E. Daggy says, in his locality, (Tuscola, 

 Douglas County,) "the worst feature was the destruction of hundreds 

 and thousands of fruit trees by the freezing in October '69. In our apple 

 orchard, just beginning to bear, we lost about one sixth, that had to be 

 taken out, and probably as many more considerably damaged that will 

 go into early decay. Other orchards suffered also. Of cherries, we lost 

 quite a number; even the Early May, and that on Morello stocks. A 

 neighboring orchard on Morello got through safely, and produc(^d about 

 one thlrdof a crop. The Heart and Duke cherries were generally killed. 

 I am fully satisfied that this class of cherries is only a source of vexation 

 and disappointment." 



In many other places the same results have followed, but we are con- 

 soled with the idea that such another snap may not again occur for years 

 to come. 



