14 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



for home and market use; yet it se u ms our couuty is just now making a speciality of the grape, 

 which lias, so far, proven a success here." 



From Stillman Barber, of Millmine, Piatt county, I learn that " there is no one in the county 

 that makes fruit growing a business, although the interest is increasing," and names the " Early 

 Harvest, Sweet June, Red June, Ranbo, Ant, Strawberry, Tallman Sweet, Wine Sap, Raule's 

 Janet and Milam, as the best sorts of Apples. Also that Strawberries Currants, Raspberries, and 

 Grapes do well," but names none as of special merit. 



J. B. Titus, of Sullivan, Moultrie county, informs me that " there are twelve market 

 orchards covering about 250 acres in the county, and there is considerable interest in tree-planting 

 and fruit-growing, but small fruits are so scarce that no estimate can be made as to the most prof- 

 itable sorts." 



M. C. McLain of Charleston, Coles county, says: "The apple crop might justly be termed a 

 failure, caused, as I think, in a large degree by excessive rains in bloom time, thereby preventing 

 fructification from taking place. The Small Romanite is the only variety giving anything like a 

 full crop. Raule's Janet and Yellow Bellflower, a few specimens, all more or less injured by the 

 Codling moth. The peach crop a fair average crop for a bearing season ; quality only lair, consider- 

 able rot with the early varieties. Gooseberries, Raspberries, Blackberries and Strawberries, better 

 than an average with me, both in quantity and quality, but not general throughout the county. 

 Pear trees are mostly young; the older trees give an average crop. Grapes never did better, espe- 

 cially the Concord, Hartford, Delaware and Iona; all free from mildew or rot, and yielding most 

 magnificent fruit. The Currant, about half a crop of ordinary fruit. No Early May or May Duke 

 Cherries ; Morello, about half a crop of small fruit. Insect crop quite large, with a glorious pros- 

 pect ahead for a full crop next season. The spirit of tree-planting rather on the increase, with a 

 demand for a better class of trees." 



Tyra Montgomery, of Mattoon, located in the western portion of Coles county, also says : — 

 "Apples failed; peaches good; trees healthy, and produced good crops — a remarkable fact to 

 have a good peach crop when apples failed. Pears, trees young but some bore fair crops ; Flemish 

 Beauty, best ; Duchess, next. Small fruits were also short in quantity and poor in quality, owing, 

 I think, to the cold weather in blooming time, with driving rains and hail ; many failed to perfect 

 their bloom ; especially is this true of strawberries. The dry weather cut short the Raspberry and 

 Blackberry crops. The Purple Cane and Philadelphia, stood the drouth and fruited best. Grape 

 crop fair ; Concord best of all. Vegetables and Flowers, generally, did rather poorly, on account 

 of wet and cold in spring, followed by drouth in summer. 



B. O. Curtis, of Paris, Edgar county, says: — "I thought I would write out the condition of 

 Horticulture in this vicinity, but as the time approaches, I find that I have really not the time to 

 do our Horticulture justice." So it appears that Horticulture has a "condition," in Edgar, but I 

 cannot decide what it is, without further intelligence. 



Dr. Lyman Pike, of Onarga, Iroquois county, reports at some length, from which I copy 

 extracts that exhibit interest and progress. He says: — "Fifteen years ago the western portion 

 of the county was wild prairie, the abode of the deer and the rattlesnake; now the county con- 

 tains probably 50,000 grape vines, with other fruits in proportion, and a constantly increasing inter- 

 est in Horticulture. The apple crop was very poor this year, and we can say very little posi- 

 tively in relation to apples, as very few trees have been long in bearing ; so far, the Wine Sap has 

 proven most profitable, and the Milam next; but we are testing many others, and hope to report 

 at some future day. Cherries have done well, the Early Richmond standing the head of the list 

 for profit. The Lawton Blackberry continues to give satisfaction. The Red and White Dutch 

 Currants are best for profit. Of grapes, Rogers No. 3, does well here, and I think our very best 

 grape. We have but little to say in regard to Fruit Lists different from last year's report. We 

 have learned however, to eat our fruits ripe, and thus better appreciate their good qualities. We 

 have about forty acres of strawberries in this township, but the interest in this fruit is declining 

 while it is increasing rapidly in others. The tendency is to less pruning and more mulching. 



