200 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



as quick growing fuel trees where we do not care to wait for the harder, better woods of 

 6omewhat slower growth. 



Quereus ttibra, Q. palustrU, Q. coccinea, Q. alba, Q. castanea and Q. macrocarpa — The 

 Oaks, when we are educated up to the point of planting acorns, will be among the very 

 best trees to grow. 



JSitbus villosus, R. Canadensis, M. strigasus and R. occidentals — The Brambles and 

 Raspberries, the progress already made in improving upon these wild fruits, only proves 

 that more progress may be made by bringing more efforts to bear upon them. 



Smilaz rotundifolia and S. hispida — The Greenbriars by their dense armature, and 

 rich leaves, claim a place in the ornamental department. 



Staphylea trifolia — The Bladder Nut, and Spirea opulifolia, S. salicifolia and S. 

 tomentosa the Spireas are all ornamental. 



Sa?nbucus Canadensis — The Elder, for fruit and wine is desirable. 



Salic eriocephala and S. lucida — Ornamental Willows together with S. purpurea for 

 basket making deserve civilization. 



Tttia Americana — The Linden furnishes a thick head of graceful and luxuriant foliage. 



Toxus Canadensis — The American Tew is a good, dwarf evergreen, with the most 

 beautiful berries. 



Ulmus Americana, U.fulva, U. racemosa, and another Elm, which I have been unable 

 to identity, are already popular as ornamental trees, and deserve yet more popularity. 

 The Elm above spoken of which I have not found described in popular works on Botany, 

 is known as Hickory Elm, or Yellow Elm, and is the hardest of the Elms, unlike the 

 rest, splitting very readily. 



Viburnum opulas, V. leutaga and V. prunifolium — the so-called Haws — are pretty shrubs 

 and bear somewhat desirable fruits, while V. pubescens, from its habits in a natural state 

 promises to become a material for hedging, at least as good as Buckthorn. 



fitis cestivalis and V. cordifolia — the Grapes are doubtless capable of producing many 

 new varieties as good as have already been derived from them. 



Thus glancing rapidly and of necessity, cursorily over the wood growth of a single 

 sparsely wooded county of Northern Illinois, we find 69 species of trees, shrubs and vines 

 which are all of them really valuable, well worth the care and attention of the Horti- 

 culturist, and some of which are so very valuable that their culture offers a much more 

 feasible road to fortune than ordinary agricultural pursuits. 



While calling attention to these native growths I would not be understood as slighting 

 the hundreds of other arboreal treasures not native, only it is my most earnest wish that 

 these trees and shrubs so peculiarly our own might be properly appreciated ; and that 

 all our people might take to themselves wealth and comfort out. of our Forest Treasury. 



THE ALTON LARGE NUTMEG MELON. 



The seed of this melon was obtained four years ago, from the State of Missouri, by the 

 purchase of what, at the time, was recognized as a fine melon. Nothing back of this, 

 so far as we are informed, was known respecting it. 



It is called a New Variety, inasmuch as all who have seen it, as we grow it, pronounce 

 it different and belter than all others. 



Our commission merchants, in Chicago, to whom these melons have been sent for two 

 years past, have repeatedly spoken of them in the highest terms — stating positively, 



