236 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



— when the homes of farmers, equally with those of others, shall he surrounded by the 

 evidences of taste and culture. When the time comes (and may we not confidently 

 expect that it will come ?) that all this will be realized, the sunbeams as they circle the 

 earth will shine upon no richer or lovelier land than ours. Few, perhaps, of those now 

 in active life may live to behold the accomplishment of the vision — those of us who 

 already see the shadows of life's evening lengthen and darken on our path, cannot hope 

 to witness it ; but we may do something to forward its consummation. No one has the 

 right wholly to disregard the interests of posterity. He is greatly to be pitied whose 

 unmitigated selfishness leads him to form his plans, and direct his energies, solely with a 

 view to his own immediate advantage. 



LOCATION OF ORCHARDS, ETC. 

 By J. C. Plumb, Milton, Wis. 



Samuel Edwards, Esq., President Northern Illinois Horticultural Society : 



Dear Sir : — Having been named as a member of the " Committee\of Observation,'' by 

 our State Hort. Soc, at its last annual meeting, and wishing to enter at once upon the 

 investigation of some of the more prominent obstacles in the way of fruit tree growing 

 in our State, and the Northwest. I take the liberty of suggesting for the considera- 

 tion of your society, either in sessio n or by Committee, the following topics and pro- 

 positions, 



First Topic — Relative to the effect that Location in all its Aspects, has to the health of 

 the tree. 



Second Topic. — Diseases and Insects. 



Eirst Proposition — That the highest relative position, most favorable to thorough 

 drainage, is most free from early and late frosts — fall and spring, and is subject to far 

 less extremes of temperature, or sudden transitions of the same. 



Second Proposition. — That the cold side of the elevation, from the northeast to the 

 northwest, has sufficient heat for all the purposes of growth and development of tree 

 and fruit, and from its having a less autumn temperature, favors a more complete 

 ripening of the wood, therefore a hardihood and fortifying of the same, to endure the 

 changes of winter. 



Third Proposition. — That constitutional vigor is a quality to be created or developed 

 in a tree, as much as in a man, and therefore while urging the necessity of protection, 

 we should aim to secure the first principle, Self Protection, as the first law in tree 

 nature. 



These propositions could be supported by a volume of evidence, but I will state two 

 facts only: That the peach buds in Central Illinois are said to endure only a tem- 

 perature of 15 to 18 degrees below zero, while in some parts of Wisconsin, latitude 43 

 to 44, this same fruit grown upon the northwest side of high hills, with no protection, 

 has endured and fruited successive years, after a winter temperature of 22 to 30 degrees 

 below zero, showing the worth of developed hardihood. Also, many varieties of apples, 



