STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 285 



little indications of blif:jht, and the fruit is remarkably large and fair. 

 This orchard was deeply trenched before the trees were planted. 



Grapes. — On the south bank of the river is a strip of sandy loam, 

 varying from a quarter of a mile to a mile in width, and elevated twenty 

 to fifty feet from the bottom lands, upon which grapes succeed admirably. 

 The fruit contains more saccharine than that grown upon prairie soil, or 

 ^ven the true ''Loess" of tlie higher blulFs. There is a less luxuriant 

 growth of vine, but both wood and fruit ripen early and fully. The 

 Concord vineyard of Henry Clapp, two and a half miles southeast of 

 Morris, upon sandy land, was visited by the Committee Ad-Interim just 

 before the ripening of the fruit this year, and they pronounced it unsur- 

 passed by any they had seen in the State, both in respect to the healthy 

 luxuriance of the foliage and the clusters of fruit. (The Committee had 

 not then seen the vineyard of jSIr. A. Adams, of Rome, Peoria County, 

 planted also upon the same sandy formation, near the Illinois river, which 

 even surpassed that of Mr. C.) 



The vineyard of Mr. E. Sanford, Esq., of Morris, contains twenty or 

 more varieties. The soil and cultivation same as in his pear orchard. 

 He has realized fine crops for several successive years, but the foliage is 

 not as perfect or the fruit quite as sweet as that upon lighter soil. I 

 think I have never seen, however, more weight of fruit, in proportion to 

 size of vine, than that upon the Concords, Hartfords, Isabellas, Dela- 

 wares, and several of Rogers' Hybrids in tliis vineyard. 



Plums here, as elsewhere, are a prey to the curculio. One orchai'd, 

 however, planted on rich timlier laml, vciy near the house of the owner, 

 and where a large number of domestic fowls scratch and wallow, pro- 

 duced, this year, a large crop of exceedingly fine fruit. 



Cherries — Early Richmond alone, has been planted to any extent. 

 This flourislies everywhere. The English Morello is no~v being jDlanted 

 for canning, etc. Of course this will do well — for it always does wher- 

 ever planted. 



Peaches — Few peach trees have been planted since the hard winter. 

 I think nearly every tree there is in the county bore this year. Previous 

 to 1856 good crops were realized once in three or four years. 



Of Blackberries.^ the Kittatinny alone repays. This is hardy and a 

 good bearer of good fruit. I have plowed up my Lawtons, " Missouri 

 Mammoths," and Wilson's Early. 



Raspberries — The following are cultivated and valued in about the 

 order named : Mammoth Cluster (same as " McCormick," Collinsville, 

 Miami, and Large Miami), Philadelphia, Clark, Miami, Doolittle, Piu"- 

 ple Cane, Davison's Thornless. 



Among Strawberries., Wilson's Albany here, as throughout the State, 

 takes the lead. French's Seedling, Russell, and Green Prolilic are piof- 

 itable; especially French's Seedling for family use — too soft for market. 



Gooseberries — White Smith succeeds admirably in some of the gar- 

 dens4n Morris. Houghton's, of course, is the prominent variety, and 



