302 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Rassiaa variety well known all over our nation at this time. There 

 was not an exhibit of apples in the late World's Fair but had it in 

 their collection ; it is as hardy as the wild crab ; is of slow growth,, 

 and will not outgrow the wild crab stock and get top-heavy. The 

 fruit is excellent for ordinary purposes ; it is very early, can be cooked 

 when one-half grown, and will last until October. In Northern Illi- 

 nois, grafted on the wild crab it will keep one or two months later than 

 on the apple stock. 



If all the wild Crab trees of our nation were converted into 

 Duchess of Oldenburg, Yellow Transparent, Healthy, Famuse and other 

 valuable varieties, it might be made worth more to us than the gold 

 mines of California or the oil wells of Pennsylvania. 



Those that wish to convert their Red Haw, known by some as wild 

 thorn, to the old varieties of the pear, we would recommend as the 

 hardiest and most productive the Flemish Beauty. Those wishing to 

 graft the pear that has got the most money in it, we would recommend 

 the Lincoln, a native seedling of Central Illinois, 57 years old, as hardy 

 as an oak, and has borne annual crops for the last 50 years. 



To all appearances, the Lincoln pear can be made worth as much 

 or more than the Duchess, as it can be canned and made an article of 

 export in great quantities. Those that wish to graft the wild plum to 

 the cherry, we would recommend the Early Richmond and the English 

 Morellow as they are both hi^rdy, prolific bearers, and are good for 

 canning and shipping to foreign nations. 



Those that wish to graft the wild grape- vine we would recommend 

 to use largely of the Concord, it being hardy and good enough for gen- 

 eral purposes; when kept at the right temperature, it can be kept all 

 winter. 



The grape-vine can be grafted in the fall, all winter, or till fully out 

 in the leaf; when fully out' in leaf, the stock bleeds the least of any 

 time. 



For the last two years we have been experimenting in fall and 

 winter grafting. In November, 1892, we grafted Lincoln pears that did 

 well. In February, 1893, we grafted more ; some of them grew four 

 feet, as dry as the summer was. I use cotton cloth, boiled in ordinary 

 grafting wax. A. H. Gaston. 



