1 6 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



getting on satisfactorily, and the abundant and cheap supply of Osage 

 orange plants, is fast surrounding our prairie, and even our forest farms 

 with a living wall. The Osage orange is " the only wear," and, so far 

 north as its culture can be safely carried, seems to be the best. Veiy 

 beautiful as an ornamental hedge, and perhaps sufficient for a fence, is 

 the Pyriis Japonica. Professor Turner recommends the barberry for a 

 similar purpose. 



As in other horticulture, deep and thorough preparation of ground, 

 careful planting, and clean cultivation are prime necessities. Next comes 

 the pruning, concerning which there is a variety of theories. Mr. Mee- 

 han advises to prune the hedge so that a section of it shall be an equilat- 

 eral triangle. Dr. Hull advises shortening in and making a perpendicular 

 of either side. I have seen no practical example of either of tliese. The 

 process of bending over and interweaving the tops of the plants in the 

 line of the hedge, a few inches above ground, has some advocates, and 

 produces some tolerable results, but how permanent they will be is not 

 known. Cutting down the hedge and growing a mass of sprouts from the 

 stumps, has proved generally a failure. The plashing process, or half 

 cutting ofl'the plants and bending them down at an angle of 30 degrees 

 with the line of the hedge, is making some ugly, but efficient fences. 



b. Belts or Wijid Breaks have been highly extolled and somewhat 

 planted in our prairies. A few have shown their faith by their works, 

 among whom are our friends Dunlap and Edwards, Minier and others. 

 For these belts immediate utility and rapid growth are generally prime 

 requisites, and hence ti"ees producing an infei'ior quality of timber, such 

 as the soft-maple, cottonwood, white willow, etc., are planted. But 

 it is evident that eversfreens and some of the better deciduous trees should 

 be planted under their lee, to ultimately replace them. 



c. One of the best investments that can now be made, if you can 

 wait until 1890 or 1900 to " idealize," is in Timber Plantations. European 

 larch is now all the rage, but I apprehend will not be nearly so satisf ictory 

 in this climate as in Europe; but there are plenty of native and foreign 

 species well proven, that will be of high value for lumber. Black walnut, 

 Red cedar, and Norway spruce, are trees combining considerable rapid- 

 ity of growth with high value as timber. Black Locust is still valuable 

 with me, being exempt from the attacks of the borer on the white soil, 

 although, for many years destroyed on the black soil, a few miles away. 

 Prince says it escapes on the calcareous soils. The catalpa and Osage 

 orange receive high commendations, and many others that I will not 

 now stop to enumerate, but that ought to be carefully enumerated in an 

 act to encourage the planting of timber trees. 



4. It would be proper under the head of useful Horticulture, 

 to speak of Nursery management as an important and often profitable 

 branch of this pleasing art ; but my space will hardly permit. The busi- 

 ness requires close personal attention, great care and accuracy, and a 

 thorough knowledge of a great variety of plants, and their culture ; so 

 much in fact that few men are able to manage successfully a general 

 nursery, except by very thorough division and organization of labor. 



