STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 27 I 



said orchard, but I have the names of only two — Rawles' Janet and 

 Pennock or large Romanite. This was planted in prairie soil, and culti- 

 vated t'or about twenty years, as other farm land, in corn, wheal, oats, etc. 



The orchard yielded well during the twenty years it was cultivated ; 

 afterwards it was left to grow over with grass and weeds, and as soon as 

 the cultivation was neglected the orchard began to ilecline. 



In 1S25 and 1826, several orchards of seedlings were planted, and 

 those that have been well culti\ ated have been thrifty and have borne 

 well. 



About the vear 1836, J. ^1. Park planted an orchard of about three 

 hundred grafted trees, but the names were not given. In 1845 °^' 184^^' 

 Park left his farm, and a mmiber of the trees have died for want of proper 

 care. 



In 1834, I planted an orchard of about forty trees, procured from a 

 Mr. Woods, near Albion, Edwards County. I did not get the names, 

 but they were good varieties. Having no experience, I took the advice 

 of others, and planted thein about two feet deep, which I found by expe- 

 rience to be a mistake, as many died and the lemainder were only saved 

 bv high cultivation — ne\\' roots starting near the surface. 



In 1 8158, planted one hundred and tifty from Knox nursery, Vin- 

 cennes, Ind. The varieties that have boi'ne most, and been most profita- 

 ble are Early Harvest. Earl}- Pennock, Carolina Red June, Ben Davis 

 (the most salable), and VVinesap, and Rawles' Janet (the best bearers). 



We shipped to Chicago atone time, but owing to the delay on account 

 of re-shipping, it did not pay, and our market has latterly been local or 

 in Cincinnati. 



Dr. Samuel McClure, of Olney, has been kind enough to fiu-nish the 

 desired information relating to peaches and all varieties of small fruits 

 grown here, which I inclose herewith. 



Very respectfully, 



George Masox. 



Olnkv, Richi.axd Coi ntv, Ii.i.., Dec. 16, 1870. 

 O. B. Galusha; 



fJear Sir: — George Mason Esq., of this vicinity, handed me your letter of 

 inciniry, relative lo fruits grown in Rirliland County, requesting nie to reply to it. 

 I roniply as follows : 



Pcac/ies are more generally grown than any other fruit; probably on account of 

 their easy propagation and their earliness and certainty in bearing. In no year 

 since my residence in the county, now twenty years, has there been a total 

 failure. 



Some orchards, containing from forty to fifty acres each, which ha\ e been 

 planted on the prairies within the last five years, have been very successful. .\ gen- 

 tleman residing in Ohio, who furnished the trees and had them planted and culti- 

 vated " on the shares," realized nine thousand dollars net profit in iS6n, from 

 those growing in this county. He has other orchards in Ohio and on the Leiitral 

 Railroad in Illinois, but his orchards in this coimty have been the most remunera- 

 tive, excelling tho-^e at other places in the superior iiuality of the liuit, and cer- 

 tainty in bearing. 



