Illinois State Horticultural Society. 83 



Illinois State Horticultural Society. 



THE sixteentli annual session of this society was held at Centralia. Dr. Hutton, 

 on behalf of the citizens, gave to the members a cordial welcome to the hos- 

 pitalities of the city, to which President Starr made a Btting reply. The President's 

 annual address was a business like and well written paper. Though this meeting 

 was not so numerously attended as at Ottawa two years ago, all parts of the State 

 were most ably represented by her best horticultural talent. Thinking, practical 

 men, who have labored long and patiently in the good work were there. 



The reports from the ad-interim committees, or Vice-Presidents, gave flattering 

 assurance of the onward progress of horticultui'e in their respective districts. Concern- 

 ing the fruit crop of 1872, the reports went to show a most prosperous year. The 

 apple crop was very abundant, and the fruit unusually fine — so fine that special 

 mention was made by Plagg and other members, of the great size and superior 

 quality of many varieties. Peaches were never before so abundant, but were every- 

 where deficient in size and quality, and as a matter of course prices low. 



The grape crop was never better, and the universal Concord the leading variety. 

 Pruning and protection of the vine were briefly discussed. The weight of testimony 

 brought out was adverse to much, if any summer pruning, or of laying down and 

 covering in winter. On the preparation of soil, its degree of fertility, and the 

 application of manure or other fertilizers in the culture of the vine to obtain the 

 best results, there was a contrariety of thought among the speakers, that would have 

 puzzled a Solomon to reconcile. 



Little was said about either the plum, cherry, strawberry, or raspberry. Mention 

 was made only of the Nelson and Green prolific Strawberries — the former for market 

 all over. The Early Richmond takes the lead among cherries. 



What now most agitates the fruit growers of the state, is what to do with, or how 

 to dispose of their crops. What to plant, or how to plant is no longer the question, 

 but rather, how to best utilize the immense and rapidly increasing fruit crops of the 

 state. Some time was taken up in discussing this matter, and in which a lively and 

 general interest was apparent. Dunlap spoke at some length upon the utility of 

 converting the surplus, or unsaleable portion of the apple crop into cider and vinegar. 

 Earle spoke of canning the fruit. Hutton spoke of a method of his own for drying, 

 which he claimed to be a great improvement over the ordinary practice. Huggins 

 had another plan for drying. The advantages claimed for the Alden process of 

 drying was also presented. A bushel of apples yields six pounds of dry fruit at a 

 cost of twelve cents per pound, market price twenty cents. Wier obtained but four 

 and a half pounds of preserved fruit per bushel of fresh apples, and at the 

 market price found it a losing business. He questioned any superiority of the 

 Alden process over that used by him, either in product or quality of work. Post 

 had a fruit dryer, and claimed for it a saving of fifty per cent, in the expense of 

 manufacture (with better work) over the Alden process — he really thought the 

 specimens from his dryer were the finest on exhibition. He showed a model of his 

 apparatus. From all that he could gather concerning those hot air methods for the 

 preservation of fruit, we do not believe they ofi"er a safe investment in view of the present 

 price of fruit dried in the ordinary way. It is claimed for the Alden process, that 



