STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 285 



WARSAW HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Report for 1868. 



Tiie year has been marked by a degree of progress in this society, though it 

 must be confessed that some members are becoming lukewarm and Indifferent to 

 their society duties and obligations, while a large degree of the old apathy in the com- 

 munity still continues. The county of Hancock, though one of the best physically — 

 probably the hest — on the western slope of the State, is a hard county for a horticul- 

 tural or agricultural society. 



The bluff lands skirting the Mississippi river from its northern to the southern bound- 

 ary, as well as those in the interior, composed mainly of strong a calcareous soil, and 

 embracing one-third of the area of the country, are admirably adapted to the growth of 

 fruit. Apples, cherries, and most of the small fruits seem at home in its soil ; while 

 the regions of Nauvoo in its northwestern limit, and of Warsaw on its southwestern, 

 have become celebrated for its grapes and wine. It is believed, however, that other 

 portions of the country are equally favorable to their growth. The peach is also 

 grown quite extensively, and will produce a good crop about an average of each alter- 

 nate year, though this county is about its northern limit. I proceed to give a resume of 

 the proceedings of the society for the current year : 



January. — G. B. Worthen, Chairman of Grape Committee made the following 



REPORT ON GRAPES. 



The past winter was very favorable to grape culture, the thermometer not going 

 lower than 12 degrees below zero. The leading varieties, such as the Concord, Clinton, 

 Delaware, Hartford Prolific, and Norton's Virginia, all did finely. But the Catawba, 

 the best grape for all purposes, rotted badly. It did better on widely planted vine- 

 yards than those closely planted ; and the higher the fruit was from the ground, the 

 less it rotted. About two-thirds of the rotten fruit was within two feet of the ground, 

 and the other third within four feet ; while that which was from five to six feet above 

 the ground was almost entirely Tvcc from it. 



The mildew did not make its appearance in the widely planted vineyards, until about 

 the 5th of July, after about ten days or two weeks of moist weather. In the evening 

 of June 19th there was a thunder storm with a little rain. On the 21st and 23d, it was 

 very hot, and a slight shower in the night of the 23d, and on the morning of the 25th. 

 It rained again on the 25th, and on the following, and the next night. July 1st, 3rd, 

 and 4th were very hot. It also rained a little on the 8rd and 4th. 



It was about the 10th of July before the rot made its appearance. It did not con- 

 tinue but a few days the first time, but it made its appearance again about the 10th of 

 August, and it was worse than at first. We think that it would be but a small esti- 

 mate to say that half of the Catawba were lost by rot. 



8ulphuring was tried on two or three vineyards, bat the result was not satisfactory. 



