258 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



PEACHES. 



Hale's Early, George the IV., Yellow Alberge, Crawford's Early 

 and Late, Old Mixon, Coolidge Favorite, Royal Kensington, Early 

 York. 



PLUMS. 



Lornbard, Yellow Gage and Italian Damask. 



GRAPES. 



Concord, Isabella, Rogers' Hybrid, Nos. 3 and 4, Delaware, Hart- 

 ford Prolific. 



CURRANTS. 



Red Dutch. 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



Houghton's and Downing's Seedlings. 



BLACKBERRIES. 



Lawton and Wilson. 



RASPBERRIES. 



Doolittle, Miami Black Cap, and Philadelphia. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Wilson's and Green Prolific. ^ 



I think that our orchards have suftered more during the past year 

 from insects and from blight than in all the previous years since the settle- 

 ment of the country. Up to that time we had been pretty successful in 

 pear culture; only now and then losing a ti-eefrom blight; but last year 

 made almost a clean sweep of all the bearing pear trees in the neighbor- 

 hood. Their ruined and blackened wrecks disfigure our orchards and 

 grounds, and almost discourage all hopes of our ever succeeding again in 

 raising this delicious fruit. • 



The destruction was so sudden and complete that it seemed useless 

 to apply any remedies. The twigs of the apple trees were also consider- 

 ably affected in the same way. 



We can assign no cause for this unusual prevalence of blight; but 

 think that it is owing to climatic influences. Perhaps the extreme wet 

 summer of 1S69 had something to do with it. We have never tried the 

 root-pruning remedy ; in fact have no faith in it, and find that trees that 

 are standing in grass, and those that are well cultivated, are equally 

 affected. 



I am inclined to think that the fungus theory is the true one, and that 

 wet seasons are most favorable for the spread of this fungus; and that 

 where it can be done, cutting out and destroying the affected branches is 

 about the only remedy. 



The blight of thc'apple trees seems to be confined to the twigs, and 

 is not so serious a matter. • 



