300 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



day, though subsequent to Mr. Stewart. It is still continued I believe, by bis son, A. 

 Scarborough. 



The nurseries in present operation in the country as far as information could be 

 obtained, are as follows : Sinuock & Co., Hargis & Sominer, D. C. Benton, Manning 

 Brothers, Quincy ; A. Scarborough, James Orr, "\Viliiam A.Mitchell, Payson ; Cbas. 

 W. Kay, Camp Point ; H. A. Horn, Clayton ; and William Cutter, Beverly. 



Nearly all of these establishments are of an extensive and superior character, devoted 

 to the cultivation of every description of fruit, and ornamental trees and small fruits, 

 and are generally well patronized as reliable home institutions. 



This sketch of the county would be incomplete without even a brief allusion to the 

 fact that evergreen culture and ornamentation generally, owe their introduction to 

 William Stewart, Sr., who commenced evergreen planting in 1817, and whose name 

 deserves to be associated therewith as a pleasant and perennial memory. 



The Adams county Horticultural Society wa; organized in December, 1S67, with seven 

 members, and closed the year with fifty. They have discussed and made out lists of 

 Apples, Peaches, Grapes, Strawberries and Raspberries. Profitable and very pleasant 

 practice meetings were held during the summer months at different residences of the 

 members. A commodious hall lias been rented, which they have comfortably furnished 

 and they hold regular meeting on the first Tuesday of every month, which have been 

 very generally well attended, and always interesting and instructive. The officers for 

 the year 18G9 are as follows : Robert Barker, President ; Daniel C. Wood, Vice Presi- 

 dent ; William Stewart, Corresponding Secretary ; George S. King, Recording Secreta- 

 ry ; and Thomas Sinnock, Treasurer. 



The foregoing is but a brief and imperfect historical sketch of the fruit history of the 

 county, but which it is hoped will serve as the basis for a fuller and more complete 

 history. I am, very Respectfully, Yours, ' 



GEORGE S. KING, Recording Secretary, 

 Adams Co., Hort., So. 



BUREAU COUNTY. 



The first attempt at fruit growing in Bureau County was in 1830 or 1831, it is not 

 certain which, when John Hull sowed some apple seeds brought from Kentucky, and 

 raised a few hundred seedlings. Small orchards of these were planted three or four 

 years after by Christopher Coss, John Musgrovc, Roland Moseley and some others. 

 The fruit was better than the average of seedlings ; but most of the trees have per- 

 ished. Nurserymen have been accused of introducing the apple borer. The orchards 

 above-mentioned, and the nursery from which they were taken, were attacked by this 

 insect before fruit trees were brought here from any other part of the country ; which 

 would seem to be good evidence of its previous existence in this section. 



In the spring of 1836, John Bellangee brought a lot of grafted apple trees from Bel- 

 mont County, Ohio, and commenced a nursery near Princeton. During that and the 

 following year, orchards of these trees were planted by Cyrus, John and Arthur Bryant, 

 Aaron and William Mescet, and a number of others whose names are not recollected. 

 None of these orchards were of any considerable size. At that time, and for years after, 

 it was a prevalent opinion that it would never be an object to raise apples for market ; 

 and it was sometimes remarked when one was seen planting trees, that when those trees 

 came into bearing, apples would not be worth more than a shilling per k bushel. Mr. 



