304 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Blackberries — Lawton, Col. Wilder (white), Orange Crystal (white), Albion (pink), 

 Dr. Warder (pink). 



Raspberries, Strawberries, Etc., — all succeed well here. 



No county in the State is better adapted to the growing of fruit than Edwards coun- 

 ty ; the high ridges dividing the two Wabash rivers never fail in producing fine crops of 

 Peaches, and the land in the county generally, is unsurpassed for the growth of the 

 apple, pear, grape, and indeed all other fruits that succeed anywhere in this latitude. 

 Many large orchards are being planted, in anticipation of the speedy completion of two 

 railroads through the county ; the difficulty of getting fruit to market has heretofore 

 prevented the planting of large orchards, but the present prospect is giving an impetus 

 to this branch of Horticulture, which promises to increase until this shall be known as 

 oue of the principal fruit growing counties of Illinois. 



Respectfully Tours, 



JOHN B. ORANGE. 



EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



Sih : — You desire me to furnish a sketch of the Horticultural history of this county ; 

 most willingly would I comply with your request, could I gather together the necessary 

 material, out of- which to prepare a brief article on the subject; but, like a great many 

 other counties contiguous to this, anything akin to systematic horticulture has, until 

 very recently, never been practiced in this section of the State. The first settlers here, 

 were chiefly from the South — from Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia 

 — and it appears that many of these early adventurers brought with them apple tree 

 " cions," taken from the roots oi bearing trees. Most of these "sprouts" were trans- 

 planted on timbered land, as in those days it was universally believed the prairies were 

 worthless, as regarded agricultural purposes. Not many of these earlier orchards are 

 now to be found, nearly all of the trees having, in one way and another been destroyed. 

 But, it is proper to remark, that in all instances which have fallen under my observation 

 the apple tree seems to do best here, both as to the health of the tree itself, and the 

 quality of the fruit, grown upon forest land. These early settlers, also introduced the 

 peach here, and I have observed that those trees occupying the highest and most 

 exposed localities, have proved the longest lived. I think it a fact well settled, as 

 respects this locality, that the peach flourishes best upon our very highest open prairie, 

 the fruit buds being much less liable to be destroyed by the winter frosts, and the 

 tree proving unquestionably of greater longevity. Nor do I believe that artificial tim- 

 ber belts and wind breaks would prove the least protective to peach orchards thus 

 situated. 



Among the most profitable if not the best apple introduced into this section, at an 

 early date, was the true Limbcrtwig. It has proven to be a healthy, desirable tree, a 

 very sure bearer, and the fruit keeps well, does to cook, and by those who " know no 

 better," is esteemed a good apple. On account of some of its qualities, I am decidedly 

 in favor of retaining it in the list for Southern Illinois. And here I am tempted to make 

 a statement, in relation to seedlings produced from this apple, which I think is without 

 a parallel. There is an elderly gentleman, in this neighborhood, a farmer, and a man of 

 unimpeachable veracity, who, perhaps, twelve or fifteen years ago, planted a small 

 quantity of seed obtianed entirely from the Tiinbertwig. From these seeds he now has 



