20 



THE iLLi:sroTS 3T'^i^:m:ei^. 



soil of Central Illinois, require a some- 

 what different mnnagement. First, I 

 will make some suggestions to my friends 

 of the timber lands. To carry on any- 

 business, it is important to have all the 



necessary aids required in its successful 

 prosecution. A lack of any of the pre- 

 dominant elements will always work to a 

 disadvantage; therefore, care should be 

 taken to ascertain the proper needs, and 

 at once provide them. With but very 

 few exceptions, those who have made 

 fruit-growing their only dependence have 

 been much disappointed in the net pro- 

 fits of the business. The want of native 

 grasses for pasturage, the long, dry 

 summer or floods of rain, the insect 

 tribes that swarm in countless myriads, 

 the autumn sickness and winter feycr, 

 have come in to mar the pleasures and 

 profits of the fruit grower. In most ca- 

 ses we can account for disappointment. 

 It is not in want of energy, not in want 

 of ardent toil, and, in most cases, not in 

 want of capital, but results in a general 

 want of the knowledge oP the climate, 

 the mode of culture and the real needs 

 or materials to carrv on the business. 



In preparing for an orchard, the land, 

 if an old farm — which is often the case 

 — should be plowed deep. To do this, 

 the team must be heavy and well fed ; 

 not fed on corn alone, but good hay and 

 pasturage — otherwise your team will not 

 remain in good health. Then, of course, 

 one of the great needs is a good clover, 

 timothy or blue grass pasture, and a red 

 top, timothy or clover meadow. These 

 are among the first essential elements of 

 success, and if neglected I will fearlessly 

 predict a failure. Milk and butter must 

 be had for the family, and this cannot 

 be done without pasture and meadow. 

 In the total absence of native grasses, 

 leaves must be resorted to for food. One 

 visit to Union county will show the small 

 value of the woodland pasture range for 

 milk and butter. It makes a good rain- 

 how cow, with tight-fitting hide, but 

 lacks the succulent grasses to give it 

 value. Fat meats and gravies are for 

 the north, but fruits, vegetables, milk 

 and butter are for this climate. If we 

 wish to enjoy uninterrupted health, these 

 are among the needs to ward off autumn 

 sickness and winter fevers. They can- 

 not be dispensed with. Better to defer 

 the planting of the orchard to another 

 year than to put off these indispensable 

 duties. In the next place, the house 

 should be on an airy slope, not in the 

 valley ; and the first great need of the 

 family is a supply of wholesome water, 

 either from spring, well or cistern. In 

 cither case have it handy and in abun- 

 dance. It is the gushing springs of the 

 hill-sides that pleases me, and to have 

 their rippling treasure forced up these 

 wooded slopes to the kitchen, is an 

 achievement noble as it is useful. 



Order half the trees that you think 

 you can plant, and then you may expect 

 to get them in in time and in good or- 

 der, for if drove with too much work it 

 will be liable to be neglected and half 

 done. Better have time to sit down in 

 the shade for two hours, at mid- day, 

 contemplating these glorious old hills, 

 that have melted and crumbled beneath 

 the hand of time since the ocean ceased 

 to roll in silent grandeur above them, or 

 watch the motions of the whispering 

 leaves as they are kissed by the zephyrs 

 as they pass on their way to greet the 

 summer of the north. No man thinks of 

 erecting a great house without ample 

 time to provide the materialas, and no 

 man should expect to grow a great or- 

 chard without taking time for the prepa- 

 ration. 



THE APPLE ORCHARD. 



In making selections for the apple 

 orchard, reference must be had to the 

 wants of the markets. Early summer 

 fruits are wanted at the north, and these 

 should be liberally planted, as, taking 

 all things into consideration, they will 

 return the best profit. Among these, 

 Early Harvest, Red June, Sweet Bough 

 and Red Astrachan should stand promi- 

 nent, with such others as are found 

 both early and productive. With these 

 early fruits you would be the first in the 

 northern markets, and obtain a good 

 price. Autumn apples, except for home 

 use and for drying, would be of little 

 value. It is probable that the KeswicJc- 

 Codlin will prove valuable both for an 

 early market cooking apple as well as 

 for drying; and, for this purpose, equally 

 or more valuable than the Horse apple, 

 now so popular for this purpose. After 

 the summer apples for the north comes 

 the long keeping winter varieties, for the 

 winter and spring shipments to the south. 

 On the limestone soils I need not say 

 that the Newtown Pippin stands at the 

 head of the list. Others of high merit 

 I have already named. 



Of the protection to prairie orchards, 

 I have spoken on another occasion, but 

 of the protection required in the timber 

 lands we must leave for future observa- 

 tion. I have no theory, much less prac- 

 tical advice to offer. I have observed 

 that in some orchards the rot is much 

 more destructive than in others. Wheth- 

 er this is effected by soil, aspect or acci- 

 dental cause, I cannot say ; but careful 

 observation should be made on this point. 



As New York, Michigan, Ohio and 

 Indiana usually produce good crops of 

 apples ; and, with low freights in their 

 favor, it cannot be expected that the 

 northern winter market would offer the 

 advantages of the south. In sending 

 apples to market, they should be hand- 

 picked and carefully assorted. It is the 

 best fruit that sells. Poor fruit will not 

 pay the expenses of shipping when put 



up alone, and when mixed with good, it 

 deteriorates its value in market, and 

 leads to disappointment, and injures the 

 credit of those who send it. -; 



PEACHES. 



Large peach orchards have been plan- 

 ted, but I have not seen one that has re- 

 ceived any particular care. No attempt 

 has been made to thin out the fruit or to 

 destroy the curculio, and until these two 

 matter.^, together with good culture, are 

 attended to, you may boast of great 

 crops, but for fine fruit, Alton will stand 

 a head and shoulders above you. Here, 

 too, you want the early varieties, for 

 Michigan, Indiana and Central Illinois, 

 with their cheap freights, will undersell 

 you in the autumn market. 



THE PRAIRIES. 



I look upon the prairies'of Egypt as 

 of great ultimate value for the apple 

 orchard, and a strong competitor with 

 the pear and the peach. Draining and 

 deep plowing will be the enchanter's 

 wand that shall unlock their pomonal 

 products and place them high in the list 

 of fruit growing lands. On them the 

 natural grasses abound ; hence the first 

 great need, pasturage and meadow, are 

 supplied. Most of these lands are of the 

 lime mud drifts but the sandstone over- 

 laying the coal occasionally crops out, 

 giving a sandstone soil with soft water. 

 On such lands the Rhode Island green- 

 ing is found in perfection, and doubtless 

 the Swaar would also prove a favorite. 

 The question of protection by timber 

 belts I leave for you to discuss, merely 

 suggesting that, if for no other purpose, 

 you would find them useful in checking 

 the severe winds of the south-west from 

 blowing off your fruit before ripe. 



BLACKBERRIES. . 



No fruit has so rapidly come into pop- 

 ular favor, and no soil or climate appears 

 to be more congenial than this. The 

 rocky frontlets of the grand chain, the 

 woody slopes of the sandstone forma- 

 tions, the lime mud drifts where skirts 

 the groves and cultivated fields, whether 

 of prairie or woodland, alike teem with 

 this invaluable fruit. Forty rod whisky 

 and " red eye," said to have been a pop- 

 ular beverage in all this country, have 

 given place to the more mild and health- 

 ful juice of the bramble, popularly known 

 as blackberry wine. . : t. 



POMOLOGICAL AND HORTICULT (TR AL 

 SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. 



That this society must exert a vast 

 influence on the future of this part of 

 the State, is plain to the most obtuse 

 observer. Embracing as it does, gentle- 

 men of high practical attainments, both 

 in the orchard and the garden, its delib- 

 erations will go forfh to the world as an 

 earnest of success, and show that the 

 dark cloud of orchard abuses is rifted, 



;:rJi^M£:'., 



