328 ANNUAL EEPORT. 



In this stony country the most important horticultural work that our farmers can 

 engage in, is that of planting belts of evergreens that shall fully protect their houses, 

 barns and barn yards ; the cottonwoods, willows, etc. , commonly planted are a 

 partial protection, but it should be constantly insisted upon that they are not suf- 

 ficient, and that evergreens are not difficult or slow to grow when properly managed. 

 This is a work that all can engage in with enthusiasm no matter how sordid or 

 unrefined their taste. We bank up our houses and shut them in with storm 

 windows and storm doors, let us also cast up this outer breastwork of green and 

 smile when the storm king rages. 



I cannot bring this report to a close without expressing some of that gratitude, 

 which as farmers of this State, we owe to those Jfew brave and enthusiastic men who, 

 overwhelmed by discouragements again and again, have yet led on to the present 

 advanced state of horticulture; what other men of our time have bestowed such 

 comforts on posterity ? How might these interests have languished and our homes 

 been left without many of their attractions and endearments! 

 T' There is now no room for despair, everything leads on to the hope that this land 

 which already flows with "milk and honey" may indeed "blossom as the rose." 



REPORT OF G. W. FULLER, LITCHFIELD. 



Mr. Fuller. As a member of the fruit committee I have prepared 

 no written report. In that already submitted I said nothing about 

 plums. The De Soto bore last year and promises to be valuable. The 

 Weaver variety, which was set some four or five years ago, has not 

 borne any as yet. The crop of native plums was very good. 



As far as the experimental station is concerned, would say that I 

 have had very few cions sent to me as yet. Have been unfortunate 

 somehow. A bunch of cions sent to me from some source proved a 

 failure. The Russian varieties killed down a trifle but they grew 

 nicely last season and appear to be doing finely. Four varieties were 

 sent me by the Secretary. In the spring I intend making a careful 

 examination and will make a definite report. I cannot report defin- 

 itely on the varieties received from Prof. Budd. 



Mr. Harris, Mr. President, there was no member on the General 

 Fruit Committee from our county to report, and I will merely state 

 that last winter killed the trees very badly, everything excepting the 

 Duchess, Tetofsky and Peach apple. Now, while the Peach apple is 

 the hardiest variety I have upon my place I don't recommend it to 

 people for general cultivation. Not because it is not an ironclad, but 

 it is not productive and it seems to be more infested with this de- 

 structive insect known as the circulio, than almost any other variety. 

 It seems to be a favorite variety with them. One of my trees had 

 perhaps a barrel of apples but I could hardly find enough perfect speci- 



