STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 209 



defray traveling expenses, it would scarcely be expedient to attempt any very extensive 

 tours of observation. It •was, therefore, thought proper to assign to each member of 

 the Committee, a special department, making it the duty of each to make observations, 

 and i batistics, and embody the result of bis observations in a separate report. 



In accordance with this plan, the duties were assigned to the members of the Com- 

 mittee OS follow B : 



Apples and Orchard Culture, Ttlkb McWhoRTBB. Pears, Blackberries and Raspber- 

 ries, 1). B. Webb. Pears, Grapes, Blackberries, Raspberries, Cherries and Atmospheric 

 Changes, Db. C. C. Mili.ku. Cherries, Plums, Strawberries, Gooseberries and Grapes, .1. 

 <i. BCBAOH. Timber Culture, Byron N. MiKinstry. 



In the latter part of June, by communications through the mails, it was proposed for 

 the Ad-Interim Committee to meet together at Lacon. Only three of the Committee, 

 however, met together pursuant to this call. 



A condensed report of observations made was forwarded to the Prairie Farmer, for 

 publication ; but through a mistake, or more properly a blunder, it was confounded with 

 the Reports of the Ad-Interim Committee of the State Society, and a portion of the 

 R iporl was 80 published. The balance of the Report was never made public. 



It is not deemed proper, at this time, to give any review of the notes of observation 

 then made. But before entering upon the special subject assigned to me, I will add a 

 few brief remarks on the peculiarities of 



THE SEASON OF 1868. 



The past year has in most respects given but scanty encouragement to the fruit grower. 

 But if it has failed to give ns the rounded measures of fruit, it has taught us some useful 

 horticultural lessons. 



To account for the peculiar developments of the summer of 1868, we arc to take into 

 consideration, the extreme drought of the preceding season. From this one cause more 

 than to any other circumstance are we to account for most of the peculiarities of the 

 past year. 



In the winter of 1807-68, we had the first instance, we have ever known, in which 

 peach blossoms escaped uninjured, with the thermometer from 16° to 22" bclow/.ero. 



Owing to the extreme drought, all trees closed their growth, in the autumn of 1867, 

 from four to sis weeks earlier than usual ; and lor this reason the peacb buds were not 

 bo fully developed in autumn as usual, and h"iice were less susceptible to injury from the 

 cold of winter. 



The peacb and the Mahaleb cherry are best adapted to a dry condition of the soil; 

 hence they endured the winter of 1867-69 uninjured. But the quince root, on which our 

 dwarf pears are worked, require a considerable degree of moisture. The quince root 

 cannot endure such a dry condition of the earth iii connection with tie' freezing of win- 

 ter. Hence, the extensive injury to dwarf pears. The same remark will apply to the 

 Osage Orange; thus we account for the extensive damage to young hedges over the 

 country . 



After these remarks on the peculiarities of the pasi season, I will pass to the subject 

 especially a jfgned to me, 



15 



