290 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Stratvbcrries — Wilson, only. 



Raspberries — Mammoth Cluster or McCormick and Doolittle. 



Blackberries — Wilson's Early and Lawton. 



STARK COUNTY. 



BY W. H. BUTLER. 



In things material, since the advent of the pioneer and early settlers. 

 Stark County, I may say with truth, has made wonderful progress. 



Comparing what it was in 1S36, when it was a wilderness of beauti- 

 ful, undulating prairie, with what is seen to-day, and considering that all 

 these changes have been wrought in so short a period of time, with 

 comparatively little capital, without a railroad (until within a year), and 

 being remote from markets, one might almost imagine that a race of 

 Titans had been at work, instead of common mortals — for there is 

 scarcely a quarter section in the county but what has been reclaimed 

 from a state of nature and made a farm, with all the appurtenances of a 

 home. 



But here, as almost everywhere in the West, fruit raising has been 

 much neglected, the early settlers having turned their attention — neces- 

 sarily, perhaps — more particularly to substantial, while they have, in a 

 great measure, neglected the luxuries, and not until recently — though 

 there are many good orchards in the county — has their attention been 

 turned so much to fruit raising as a specialty. 



Within the past few years a general activity has been awakened upon 

 this subject, and such has been the demand for trees and plants of all 

 kinds of fruits, as well as trees and shrubbery for ornamental purposes, 

 that the supply has not been equal to it. Large sums, in the aggregate, 

 have been expended, not only for trees, but for grafts and grafting, to 

 improve the seedlings and those varieties which have proved to be poor 

 bearers, or not adapted to our soil and climate. 



The kinds of fruit trees mostly — I may say generally — set out by the 

 early settlers were seedlings, obtained principally, I believe, from Mr. 

 Hodgson, an old pioneer, who has long since been "gathered to his 

 fathers;" but as soon as grafted fruit could be obtained, the seedling 

 business came to naught, and that system was adopted which was founded 

 upon intelligence and the practical knowledge and tests of our nursery- 

 men, who have done so much to improve the tastes of our people, and 

 for the advancement and progress of Plorticulture generally. The results 

 of their labors and investigations have demonstrated beyond dispute the 

 fact, and in this their services have proved invaluable, that fruit can be 

 raised upon the rich prairies of Illinois as easily as corn, if those who go 

 into the business will avail themselves of the knowledge and experience 

 of our best fruit growers, whose means of communication iire the pub- 

 lished Transactions of the State Horticultural Society. 



Judging from my own observations, there will be a great demand 

 for fruit and ornamental trees and shrubbery the coming season, and as 



