296 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



an acre and a half this year, he had only marketed forty bushels ; While from three- 

 fourths of an acre he had last year obtained forty-five bushels. Prices were better this 

 year. Wilson's Albany is the chief reliance ; my Agriculturists did well at two years 

 old. 



Secretary — If you wished to renew a plantation, would you plant now, or wait till 

 spring ? 



President — I should wait till spring. 



Albers — By taking up with the spade, you can plant now quite successfully. 



August. — Vineyard Culture. — Society met at residence of Mr. Marlot, ten miles from 

 Warsaw, near Sylvan Dale. Mr. M. has vineyard of 15 acres, on a southern exposure, 

 soil a limestone clay with an admixture of sand. There are many varieties here on trial 

 — some of which were doing remarkably well, and were heavily laden with fruit. The 

 number of each is about as follows : Concords, 4,000 ; Catawbas, 4,030; Clintons, 3,000; 

 Norton's Virginia, 500; Ives, 400 ; Delawares, 200 ; Dianas, 100; Hartford, 100 — besides 

 small lots of twenty or thirty other sorts. 



The Concord vines had made a very fine growth, and looked healthy and vigorous, the 

 foliage bright and green. Many of them were estimated at 25 to 45 pounds of fruit each , 

 and would probably average 25 pounds. The Clintons were full of fruit, but many of 

 the vines were badly affected with leaf-gall. The Delawares were looking well, but not 

 having much fruit — having borne too heavy a crop last year. 



Mr. M. has bestowed a great deal of labor and care on his vineyard, and we have not 

 often seen one that showed cleaner culture. He manufactures all his crop iuto wine, 

 being too remote from railroads to ship the fruit to market. 



The three meetings for September, October and November, present nothing of special 

 interest to report. 



In closing my report for 1868, I will take occasion to add that the year has been a hard 

 one for the fruit-grower. What with the Curculio, the Codling Moth, the Bark Louse, the 

 army of Borers, and the thousand and one other insects and creeping things — not for- 

 getting mildew and blight — that devastate and prey upon our fruits, fruit-growing has 

 come to be a hard road to travel. Our soil aud climate, highly adapted as they are to the 

 production of fruits in variety, seem to be also the home of their many insect enemies. 



And they seem to be on the increase ; or to say the least, as one class leave us others 

 appear. The Curculio, which had only, heretofore, affected onr plums, apricots and nec- 

 tarines, has this year made sad havoc with our peach crop for the first time. Last year 

 it operated upon the more tender sorts of cherry ; this year they took Morellos, Rich- 

 monds, and the tenderer ones alike, as well as the peach. 



In the unceasing struggle for existence, which pervades nature, man, it seems, is not 

 allowed to be exempt — but is compelled to take his part. With him, as with inferior 

 animals, destruction precedes enjoyment. Especially must he destroy the insect depre- 

 dators, before he can secure and enjoy the fruits of the earth. And the battle is a 

 serious one. With all his skill and knowledge, and his vastly superior physical abilities, 

 it would seem as if the worm and the bug were likely to obtain the mastery and retain 

 possession of the field. 



But it will not do to give up the fight. In view of the magnitude of the struggle, 

 would it not be well for all our local societies to direct still greater efforts to the destruc- 

 tion of these insect enemies, and the prevention of these fruit-tree diseases ? Let valu- 

 able premiums be offered for the best practical essays on all these subjects ; and let there 



