Notes and Gleanings. 47 



long, sometimes on a slight base. The calyx is open, star-shaped, and with 

 brown, unequal divisions, inserted in a wide, shallow cavity. 



The skin is thin, a little rough, clear fawn-color, as in the Beze-Quesnoi 

 d'fite, becoming fair at maturity in November and December. The flesh is fine, 

 white, and melting ; the juice sugary, perfumed, and of best quality. 



This fine fruit was obtained by M. de Courcelle of Lille, near Tournay. 



The Fruit Crop in Illinois. — Taken as a whole, there is no State in the 

 Union so well adapted to fruit culture as the State of Illinois, whether we con- 

 sider the great diversity of its product, the certainty of the crops, the quality of 

 the fruit, the convenience of the market, by river, by lake, and by rail, or in the 

 adaptability of the soil. 



Without going into this question at the present time, we will take a glance 

 at the present condition and prospects of the crop in the State. 



On the whole, the season is full three weeks behind the average. At this 

 date, we should have ripe strawberries at this point ; but they are only in full 

 bloom, and just beginning to reach the market from the south part of the State. 

 In the north part of the State, the apple is not yet in bloom ; in fact, the shad- 

 plum {Atnelancliier Boiryaphun) has not as yet unfolded its snowy flag, while at 

 Cobden the berries are nearly full-grown. 



In the north part of the State, once in eight or ten years, they have a peach 

 crop ; but nothing like peach-orcharding is attempted. In the central part, we 

 have this fruit in about four out of five years, though the crop is not a profitable 

 one for market. In the south part, the crop is quite reliable. This year, the 

 trees in all parts of the State are giving promise of fruit. North of lat. 39°, the 

 trees are mostly seedlings ; the budding varieties being too tender for general 

 planting. The fruit-buds of the peach were badly killed south of that point ; 

 yet, with few exceptions, they have set a fair crop of fruit. Hale's Early, Troth's 

 Early, and Coolidge's Favorite, are very promising ; but these have yet to run 

 the gantlet of the ciirculio and the peach-rot. The former can be destroyed 

 by jarring and catching in a sort of inverted umbrella, called Dr. Hull's curculio- 

 catcher. In a visit through these orchards last week, I found too little atten- 

 tion paid to this certain mode of protection ; and the result will be a fading- 

 away of the crop from day to day from the attacks of this pest of the peach- 

 orchard. 



The pear crop gives promise of an abundant one ; and the same may be said 

 of the apple. On the whole, the apple, pear, peach, and strawberry promise an 

 unusual yield in all parts of the State. The curculio will destroy most of the 

 plums, although they can be protected. 



, The early May cherry (early Richmond of Elliott) is being largely planted, 

 and some of the older orchards are coming into bearing. My orchard of six 

 hundred trees is very full. At this point, lat. 40°, they usually begin to ripen 

 June 10 ; but they are now just out of bloom ; at Cobden, half grown, and will 

 follow the strawberry into market. The English morello is another valuable 

 market-cherry, for the kitchen only, but is full a month later. The Heart and 

 Duke cherries are of little value except along the rivers, where the soil is what 



