ZZ^ TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



This year has not been as favorable for budded fruit as some others, 

 yet there have been about 30,000 boxes of peaches shipped out of Fayette 

 County this year, at an average of about fifty cents per box. 



The}^ were shipped to Chicago, St. Louis, Iowa, and Minnesota, 

 while a considerable portion went to Indianapolis antl farther East. 



GRAPES. 



Grapes have been equally productive with peaches, and a large por- 

 tion of the crop has been made into wine. Among the leading varie- 

 ties are Concoi'd, Isabella, and Delaware (many others being cultivated). 

 The Concord takes the lead, as being the best bearer, and sells well in 

 the marker. 



PEARS. 



Pears are not successfully raised here, as the fire-blight destroys nearly 

 all the trees. 



Nectarines^ Apricots^ and Plums are so much the prey of the cur- 

 culio and borer that people have become disheartened about trying to 

 raise them. 



This year my Nectarine and Plum trees were full of fruit, early in 

 the season, which all dropped off or rotted upon the trees. 



Small fruits, such as gooseberries, currants, strawberries, raspberries, 

 and blackberries are pretty generally cultivated, and succeed well. 



ALEXANDER COUNTY. 

 O. B. Galusha, Secretary of State Hotlcultural Society : 



Dear Sir: — On account of sickness I have been delayed in comply- 

 ing with your request in regard to the Horticultural History of Alexan- 

 der county; and where so little has been done, a few words will be 

 sufficient. 



The north half of Alexander county is well adapted to fruit culture, 

 being composed, or partly so, of the range of hills extending from the 

 Mississippi to the Ohio river. 



This range is, I believe, what geologists call Loess. It is rather 

 broken, but is a rich soil, and under-laid, within twenty feet of the sur- 

 face, everywhere, with a gravel bed, which gives it a natural drainage. 

 All of the hilly portion, comprising about one-third of the county, is well 

 adapted to fruit-growing; yet little fruit has been raised, for want of 

 facilities for marketing; this portion of the county being too far from 

 Cairo to market with a team and wagon, and having no convenient 

 access to a railroad, the only available point for any part of this fruit dis- 

 trict being Villa Ridge, on the Illinois Central. A few seedling apple 

 trees, planted twenty years ago, though neglected, are still in a healthy, 

 fruitful condition. 



There are no commercial orchards in the county. 



At Cairo nearly all the cultivated varieties of fruit trees, vines, and 

 shrubs have been planted, and flourish remarkably well. The growth in 



