of those woalthr citizens of Chicago whose desire for retirement, fine seats, and tlie delights 

 of rural life, induce them to leave its dusty, noisy streets. 



The lake-shore between Chicago and Waukegan is high, broken ground, mostly covered 

 with a fine irrowth of timber. The soil is well adapted to the raising of fruit and gardening. 

 Much taste is displayed both in the laying out of the towns and the improvement of resi- 

 dences, and horticulture is the staple of our delights. As I read your "Visits to Country 

 Places," I cannot help immjininij the day when the western shore of Lake Michigan shall 

 vie with the shores of the Hudson. H. B. IIuhd. 



It is gratifying to find, by several similar notices, that the article on the " Rationale of 

 Draining Lands," page 500 of the last volume of the Horticulturist', has proved a most satis- 

 factory elucidation, in a very simple form, of the most important theory, perhaps, of modern 

 culture. If there are any who have skipped it, we beg they will turn to the page. 



We can readily imagine the future editor describing the "Country Places" of Illinois with 

 rapture ; for intelligence is a characteristic of even its pioneer horticulturists. Our corre- 

 spondent, we are convinced, is well able to give us some insight now, and why should he 

 not? 



Maps are too often behind the age, but efforts are constantly made to remedy this ; when 

 they will catch up with the current events of the day, is a problem rapidly solving at the 

 very office of the Horticulturist, where more maps are coined every day than at any other 

 manufactory in the world. — Ed. 



Elgix, Kane County, Illinois, Sept. 27, 1856. 



Respected Sir: I wish that I could write interestingly to you, and give you a correct 

 description of this section of the far West. I have taken up my residence here for the 

 present. I have been into different places about here, and have had a look-out for the fruit 

 of the country, both tame and wild. 



The apple grows very smooth ; the bark has a smooth, bright surface generally, but they 

 do not grow as tall as in the Eastern States, but the limbs are very free from moss ; very 

 little attention is paid to the cultivation of good kinds of apples, so far as I can learn. 



The cold of last winter was very hard for fruit growing. I cannot believe that this part 

 of Illinois will be a good fruit growing country. Peaches were all killed last winter. I am 

 informed, that once in five or six years they have a good crop of peaches. I have conversed 

 with many persons in this vicinity, and also of persons at Rockford, Rock River, who say 

 that many farmers have mostly given up fruit growing. 



I have been into the woods some. I found any quantity of the common crab-apple. I 

 have frequently counted from fifteen to twenty in a clump, and fully loaded with fruit. No 

 particular use is made of the fruit : wild plums, the thorn-apple, and the nannyberry. I 

 believe that the crab apple-tree would made a good hedge ; it grows very thrifty, and is 

 perfectly hardy. 



Inclosed I send you a rose-bud, which I found about a mile north of Rockford, Rock River ; 

 it grew upon the open prairie. I wish you to see what you can do with it. I also send you 

 the nannyberry, which grew on the banks of Fox River, near this place. The timber which 

 I have seen growing in the woods is principally oak (three kinds), walnut, slippery elm, 

 baswood, white ash ; but a very few of the last mentioned could I find. If anything which 

 I have written is worthy of your notice, please accept it from a friend, and one who is fond 

 of the beautiful in all places, and an admirer of the Horticulturist. H. Davis. 



Display at Exhibit:o:,-=:. — A late visitor at the London Crystal Palace, says : " One thing 

 must have been evident ui .very one who took an interest in the exhibition, that to stage 

 is by no means the best way of showing it to advantage. When a stage is preferred 



