154 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



THURSDAY MORNING. 



The Society met pursuant to adjournment. 



President Flagg called the meeting to order. 



The exercises were opened with prayer by Prof. T. J. Burrill, of the 



State Industrial University. 



Mr. Porter presented the following resolution : 



Resoh'rd, That this Society encourage the teaching and study of Horticulture 

 in our high schools, colleges, and seminaries, and that a committee of three be 

 appointed by the chair to prepare an address showing the benefits that would result 

 from a practical knowledge of Horticulture, and to publish the same in all the pub- 

 lic journals in the State whose proprietors will give it a gratuitous insertion. 



On motion, this resolution was referred to a special committee of 

 three, consisting of Messrs. J. S. McClelland, J. E. Porter, and Smiley 

 Shepherd. 



The special order of business for twenty minutes of the morning 

 session, viz : discussion on Mr. Earle's report, was then taken up. 



Mr. Tallon, of Burlington, Iowa, being asked to give his experi- 

 ence in growing pears, said that he has grown pears since 1847; ^^^ ^^^^ 

 good success. His trees are dwarfs, not planted deep enough to allow 

 the pear graft to take root. His trees are in grass, which he top-dresses 

 with manure in the fall and with ashes in the spring; had some blight 

 in his orchard previous to 1S64, but none since. The practice of top- 

 dressing his orchard begun at that time; hab about two hundred varie- 

 ties and has been successful with nearly all, but would especially recom- 

 mend Grey Doyenne, White Doyenne, and a variety called " Pennsylva- 

 nia." This last sort has never blighted, and he has had no trouble with 

 the, so called, tender varieties. 



Mr. Shaw called the attention of the Society to a pear orchard in 

 Levviston which had been mulched with saw dust with success; also men- 

 tioned another orchard in which mulching had proved successful. Both 

 orchards consisted of standard trees. 



Mr. Brackett, of Lee County, Iowa, said that the White Doyeime, 

 concerning which so much complaint has been made, had never cracked, 

 with him. Louise Bonne de Jersey has been very successful. 



Mr. Snedecker — I have trees of the Seckel pear, thirty years old, 

 which have never blighted. 



Mr. Bird, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, has cultivated pear trees for fifteen 

 years; manures in the fall on surface of ground, and forks in the manure 

 in spring. Most varieties have blighted badly; has a White Doyenne 

 that has never blighted. The Flemish Beauty is one of the very best. 



The President announced that the time allotted to this discussion had ■ 

 expired. 



