STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 279 



This peach has been propagated and extensively distrilnitetl by Mr, 

 B. Pullen, of Centralia. 



Its history dates its origin, in this county about the year 1838, on the 

 Thomas Ahnan place, five miles north of Salem. About 1S32, D. W. 

 Alman (son of Thomas) planted quite an orchard of trees propagated 

 from the original seedling. 



This orcliard proved valuable, its fruit being much sought after. It 

 came into bearing about 183:;, and continued to bear profitable crops 

 until about 1S60, when it began to fall into decay. A few of these 

 decaying trees yet remain, and bore fruit in 1870 at thirty-five years old. 



A NEW ERA. 



With the completion of the Illinois Central Railroad, dates a new era 

 in the history of Horticulture in Marion County, as, indeed, in all the 

 southern part of the State, since it afforded an easy and rapid transporta- 

 tion of fruit to a good market. 



The geographical location of the county afforded a season and climate 

 wherein could be produced fruits and vegetables far in advance of the 

 colder and more backward North. These advantages attracted the 

 attention of many fruit growers elsewhere, who sought here new homes 

 and a new field wherein to follow their avocation. They came bringing 

 with them varieties of fruit, as well as ideas of culture, entirely new 

 to the older settlers. * 



They planted these improved varieties, and practiced improved modes 

 of culture with such success that others were induced to follow their 

 examples. Thus were laid the foundations of a business, which in a 

 brief period widened and increased in importance until the income 

 derived from it is annually counted by hundreds of thousands of dollars. 



Among the pioneers in this enterprize, in ^Marion County, may be 

 mentioned the names of A. P. Crosby, M. Frazer, and B. Pullen, of 

 Centralia; John Martin, of Alma, Thomas Ray, of Tonti, and Isaac 

 Ileaton, of Kinmundy. 



To Mr. Crosby belongs the credit of planting the first general variety 

 of improved fruits near Centralia, and, so far as I can learn, in the county. 

 He began in 1853 setting peach, apple, pear, cherry, and some of 

 small fruits. The apple orchard set at that time contained Red June, 

 Sunomer Qiieen, Franklin Pippin, White Bcllflower (or Ortley), Little 

 Romanite (Gilpin), and Rawles' Janet. 



The orchard is in healthy condition, and, with the exception of 

 Franklin Pippin, the varieties have proved satisfactory. 



COMMERCIAL PEACH ORCHARDS. 



The peach orchard, planted at that time, came into bearing in 1856; 

 the fruit, being the first production of improved varieties (excejDt the 

 "Alman"), within the county, sold at fair prices. This orchard proved 

 profitable up to 1864, when the unprecedented freeze of that winter 

 nearly destroyed it. 



