STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 191 



only long continued rain f;ills, but long continued drouths. In point of natural 

 fertility, the soil la superior, and second to none in the State, if we except the Loess of 

 the river bluffs. 



Until tile draining is resorted to, a system of raised seed beds or lands of about two 

 rods wide will be found useful. The plowing* should be repeated towards 1 he center 

 until the dead furrow reaches the clay band before alluded to, Which will soon be 

 weathered down so as to allow the water to reach the soil below. These beds should 

 be made in the direction of the natural drainage, and, on tile draining, will form a part 

 of the excavation for the laying of the tile. 



This portion of the State is subject to great hygromic changes, and we might divide 

 the season into those of wet and dry, instead of summer and winter, but with the proper 

 preparation of the -oil, we may expect good average annual crops of nearly all the pro- 

 duets of the temperate zone. 



The apple does well at this point ; but, for the want of attention at the proper time of 

 harvesting, has been Less profitable than it should have been. 



The peach is becoming the favorite in the orchard, and an immense number of trees 

 have been planted. The curculio has, however, cheeked the ardor in that direction, and 

 the question is, how best to get rid of the depredations of this insect. Dr. Hull's inverted 

 umbrella and the jarring process is thus far the only sure alternative presented. 



Qrapes do well when the soil can be made free of stagnant water during the rainy sea- 

 son. No attention has been given to the blackberry, but I look forward to the time 

 when this fruit will be one of their favorites. Thus far the raspberry has not met the 

 expectation of the planter. It ripens at the time when the market at the north is sup- 

 plied with cheap Btrawberries, and other cheap fruits and vegetables. The strawberry is 

 a favorite, as it reaches the northern market almost without competition, being in the 

 direct line of the march of the season, and before the markets are supplied with other 

 Cheap fruits. The pear has been somewhat subject to blight; but no doubt it will im- 

 prove on a better preparation of thesoil, as before intimated. 



Centralia will no doubl maintain itself as one of the principal points of fruit culture 

 on the Illinois < Vntral Kail Koad. The men engaged in this department of fanning have 

 intelligence and energy to make it a success, which is only a question of time. It is well 

 located, in regard to mark'!-, to all the large cities of the north-west. 



The orchardists about this point have largely overplanted ; that is, there is neither la- 

 bor at hand, nor adequate capita] to produce the best results from the plantations already 

 made. I am satisfied thai one-third of the ground, properly planted, would have yielded 

 far better returns. Nothing short of deep tillage and thorough draining will make the 



sent orchards productive. At the time of our visit, nearly every orchard presented 

 evident gigns of stagnation of growth, from the effect of water saturating the surface 

 soil. This will account for the premature falling oft* of the fruit, for the growth is ar« 

 rested al the mosl critical period, and the resull is a loss of a large .-hare of the crop. 



In the few cases \\ here the orchard had been even -lightly ridged up with the plow, a 

 decided difference was perceptible in the appearance of the trees and fruit. No doubt 

 this plan will be generally adopted in the absence of under-draining. Mr. Perini Ls pre- 

 paring to anderdrain on a large scab' ; and, from the trial already made, the indications 

 ure most favorable for bucc 



Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Memphis are the chief markets. 



