286 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



always pays two hundred per cent, on the cost of production for use in 

 the family. Ainerican SeedHng or Pale Red is very productive, but not 

 valued on account of its smaller size and tougher skin. 



Currants continue to be healthy and productive, the currant worm 

 not having, as yet, made his appearance in the county. The best crops 

 are obtained by manuring and heavily mulching. 



Market Gardening — Very little has been done in this county in 

 market gardening, owing to the limited home market and the distance — 

 60 miles — from Chicago. It is doubtful, however, if there is any soil in 

 the State in which garden roots and vines flourish better than on the 

 sandy loam refeired to. 



TIMBER PLANTING. 



The sentiment prevails over the county that groves and belts of tim- 

 ber are almost a necessity, for the protection of orchards, as well as 

 to promote the comfort of man and his domestic animals. 



Some good examples are found here, in the good work of tree-plant- 

 ing. One man has over a mile in length of evergreen trees planted, and 

 a quarter of a mile of double rows of maples. Another has ten acres 

 planted to trees; another eight, and thus I trust the work will go on 

 until the influence of these groves and lines of trees is felt all over the wide 

 piairie which constitutes four-fifths of the area of the county. 



CARROLL COUNTY. 



BY J. HALLET. 



It has proved very difficult to obtain correct information concerning 

 fruit culture in the early history of Carroll county. It is, however, a fact 

 that nearly all the oldest apple orchards were planted with seedling trees. 

 I have an orchard that was planted in 1843, by David Emmert, on high, 

 brush land, with clay sub-soil. This orchard (of the original trees), is 

 now in good health, and bearing regularly. Varieties — White Winter 

 Pearmain, Smith Cider, Maiden's Blush, Carolina Red June, and Red 

 Stripe. The Yellow Bellflower, same age, large and thrifty — apples few, 

 if any. 



In later planted orchards, the following have become great favorites : 



Summer — Red Stripe, Trenton Early, Early Pennock, Red Astra- 

 chan. 



Fall — Fameuse, Maiden's Blush, Fall Winesap, Rambo. 



Winter — Willow Twig, Ben Davis, Domine, Little Red Romanite. 



The oldest orchards were seriously injured, I think, in 1858, by sun- 

 scald on the southwest side of largest trees, and of the best and most 

 tender varieties. This, with the ravages of the bark louse, destroyed 

 about one-half of the trees, more especially those trained with high tops, 

 thus exposing the body of the tree to the sun. 



This fact caused the adoption of the plan of " low heading" young 

 orchards quite extensively. This inethod being somewhat contrary to 



