48 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



mechanical uses seemed to be impressed iipou tlie society, and that wet lands 

 should be mostly used for that purpose. 



Prof. J. 13. Turner, of Jacksonville, gave statements of facts about orna- 

 mental tree planting on lots designed for building purposes v/hich, in a few 

 vears, without other improvements, greatly advanced the selling price of the 

 lots; showing a large return for the cost. The native hemlock has many 

 friends as the most beautiful evergreen, and was said to bear cutting well. 



Mr. Spaulding of Springfield, testified to the injurious effect of coal smoke 

 on evergreens and his statements were verified by others present. The city burns 

 a large amount of bituminous coal, and the general appearance of the ever- 

 greens there prepared one to believe such evidences. On farms and in the 

 small villages they seemed as bright and thrifty as one could wish ; and I may 

 here say, that the endless succession of naked or treeless houses, which a few 

 years ago were seen on the great prairies, is not now to be found. Judicious 

 tree planting has done for them what nature has done for so many Michigan 

 farmers, — furnished beautiful shade trees already growing, and it would no-t 

 be the strangest thing that ever happened if, in thirty years more, those Illinois 

 farmers were more generally enjoying the comfort and beauty of tasteful 

 groves about their dwellings than are those in Michigan. They have now many 

 homes with beautiful surroundings not excelled in our state. 



They do for themselves what nature neglected, and that has done much to 

 destroy the monotony of prairie views. 



Much of their discussion of practical horticulture has less interest for us, 

 owing to differences of climate and soil, and I will endeavor to report only 

 those ideas which may be useful to some of our own cultivators. The com- 

 mittee on orchard culture recommended that heavy prairie soil designed to be 

 planted to fruit trees be first plowed into high ridges, and the trees set on the 

 center of the ridges, the after culture to preserve that form of the ground. Prof. 

 Tice, of St. Louis, in his lecture on Meteorology, suggested that electric con- 

 ditions of the atmosphere may be found to cause some of the forms of blio[ht 

 of fruit trees which are as yet unexplained — such as apple and pear tree 

 blight, and that it might be the predisposing cause of peach yellows. The 

 yellows was thought by many a very unpromising subject to investigate, and 

 I could not get information in advance of what our own men know of it. 



I could not learn that any facts have been collected or put on record, of its 

 appearance and attendant conditions. The remark was made by one member, 

 *' There is only one point about which we are sure and that is, — that we do not 

 know anvthino; about it." The merits of varieties of strawberries drew out con- 

 siderable discussion, but the Wilson held its supremacy there, though Capt. 

 Jack, Kentucky, and a few others were praised for some good qualities. In 

 cultivating for market, massing in rows with cultivation between, and planting 

 every two years, found most favor. 



One evening was given to entomology, and the subject was made interesting 

 by Miss Smith, of Peoria, and Prof. Thomas, but I took no notes, thinking I 

 could refresh my memory from reports in Springfield newspapers, but failed to 

 get a report. Prof, i'orbes made a brief report on ornithology. A considera- 

 ble collection of many kinds of birds' stomachs had been made, for which, I 

 understand, the stafe appropriated a small sum. A portion only had been 

 analyzed, and the report was not completed ; it will, doubtless, appear in the 

 secretary's annual report. 



Prof. Burrill made an interesting report of some of his investigations of 



