156 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



APPLES AT AURORA. 



At Aurora the apple crop we found almost an entire failure, and the bark louse 

 pretty prevalent on the trees; the worst on the Newtown Pippin. Mr. Waterman 

 finds the Minkler the most satisfactory variety grown there. Mr. Minkler, a few miles 

 to the Southwest of Aurora, puts down Winesap, Jonathan and Minkler as the three 

 best winter varieties for him, and prefers them in the order given. His best summer 

 apple is Carolina Red June ; Cayuga Red Streak succeeds well with him. 



PRINCETON ORCHARDS. 



At Princeton we had an opportunity of examining, on the grounds of John H. Bryant 

 and Arthur Bryant, Sr., some of the oldest apple trees in the northern part of the State. 

 At John H. Bryant's we were shown a tree of Early Pennock, planted in 1836, and after- 

 wards top-grafted with Early Harvest, which was still thrifty, and this year bearing a 

 good crop of fruit. A Pennock root graft planted in 1836, is now 25 inches in diameter, 

 and promises to endure many years. In the old orchard of Arthur Bryant, Sr., we had 

 an opportunity of taking notes on a considerable number of varieties. Mr. Bryant plant- 

 ed 50 trees in the fall of 1836, of which 20, or about 40 per cent., are now living, and gen- 

 erally healthy. All these were root grafts. Mr. Bryant gives the following criticism on 

 varieties: "Newtown Pippin, worth little since the severe winter of 1855-56. Early 

 Harvest, bears well every other year. Hoops, of no value. Pennock, a large tree, now 

 24 inches in diameter, has generally not borne well, but one year produced 30 bushels. 

 Rambo, the mo.=t profitable variety up to 1855-56. English Golden Russet, of very lit- 

 tle value. Maiden's Blush, (planted a little later,) has borne well. Ortley, was injured by 

 the hard winter aforesaid, and is of late years, scabby. Harrison, bears well ; fit only 

 for cider and sauce ; makes the best cider in December and January. Domine, a little la- 

 ter planted, has done very well. Black Gilliflower, of no value. Roman Stern, bears well 

 and is of good quality, but is small, and does not sell well. Drap d'Or, a nice Septem- 

 ber apple, that never bore until 12 years old and then bore 12 bushels, a bushel for eve- 

 ry year of its age. Grindstone, unproductive. Roxbury Russet, killed by the cold win- 

 ter. Snow, (Fameuse or Pomme de Neige) of which Mr. Bryant probably planted the 

 first tree in the State, (in 1837) he has no fault to find with. Green Pippin, from south- 

 western Ohio, a good keeping winter apple, with no hollow about the stem, is very un- 

 productive. Winesap, planted some later, has been rather small and not profitable, but 

 has borne tolerably well. Early Pennock has been pofitable ; the tree is failing. Esopus 

 Spitzenberg, top-grafted, has been of no value since 1855. Golden Sweet has been pro- 

 ductive, and for a sweet apple, profitable." 



A younger orchard of Mr. Bryant's own propagation, contains still other varieties. 

 Jonathan is valued highly. It keeps here until April or May, although a late fall or early 

 winter apple in the south part of the State. White Pippin is a good apple and a good 

 bearer. Summer Sweet Paradise is a moderate bearer of excellent fruit. Coles' Quince, 

 is not esteemed. Early Strawberry is all right except its size. Haskell's Sweet is a large 

 and productive September apple. Whitney's Russet, very good. Danver's Winter, good, 

 but very unproductive. Tallman's Sweet, bears well, but drops badly. Its season here is 

 December and January. Mother, first rate ; bears tolerably. Ladies' Sweet, not equal to 

 Downing's praise of it. Northern Spy, top-grafted, does tolerably well. Striped Gilli- 



