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THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



29 



commencing at a foot liigh, graduating 

 up to the mere tips. Those cut the least 

 "would ripen first and others in succession, 

 according to the height of pruning. 



The above fully explains the want of 

 success in the Everbearing varieties, and 

 we now hope that they will again come 

 in favor. 



Mr. Starr, had grown Brinkle's 

 Orange, it was a little tender, and must 



be cut back to the ground \7hen trans- 

 planted; if the plants were allowed to 

 fruit the first season it would be the last 

 of them. This was generally concurred 

 in. 



Dr. "Warder, would plant in rows nine 

 feet apart and four feet in the row; the 

 usual custom was in hills five feet each 

 way, but this is too close; the Allen 

 would do that distance; but Purple Cane 

 and Black Cap should have ample space, 

 cut back in February and March. 



EVENING gESSlON. 



Dr. Warder, of Cincinnati, delivered 

 a written lecture illustrated by diagrams, 

 showing the process of growth in plants, 

 and tracing the analogies between bud 

 and seed, and between branch and root. 

 It was long and able, but any abstr ct 

 we could give would not do it justice. 



THIED DAY — MOENING SESSION. 



After the introduction of Dr. Brendle, 

 of Peoria, as an honorary member of 

 Society, the business committee reported 

 the following programme for the day. 

 First, Appointment of a committee to 

 petition the Legislature, in the name of 

 the Society, to pass a law making fruit 

 stealing larceny. Second, Appoint- 

 ment of a committee to petition the 

 Legislature for an appropriation of 



$ to aid the Society. Third, 



Discussion of the pear, plum and cherry 

 until eleven o'clock. Fourth, Election 

 of oflficers of the Society for the ensu- 

 ing year. 



The committee on "stealing fruit" 

 consists of Dr. Clapp, K. K. Jones, C. 

 R. Overman and F. K. Phoenix. The 

 one on appropriation was the President 

 and the Corresponding Secretary, with 

 authority to fill the blank with the 

 amount they should see proper. 



Discussion on the Pear was next in 

 order. 



Dr. Warder, although not much ac- 

 quainted witn the subject practically in 

 Illinois, had seen some good samples on 

 native stock and quince root, and 

 thought they might do well especially in 

 the prairies of the south part of the 

 State, and on clay soil. 



Several examples were noted where 

 pear tree exposed to kitchen draining 

 and soap suds yielded well, where those 

 in the orchard died out. Others had 

 failed on both sod and cultivated land, 

 and seemed despairing of the cultiva- 

 tion of the fruit in this State, complain- 



ing much of blight and premature decay. 



Mr. Galusha "recommended dwarf 

 style, with good deep and thorough cul- 

 ture, and Mr. Chase dry gravely soil, 

 good cultivation and underdrainage with 

 shelter. Had known both dwarf an 

 standard to do well. 



Mr. Shaw had known no blight with 

 dwarf on trenched ground, and Mr. 

 Ellsworth thought draining, or subsoll- 

 ing to bring up the clay loam on prairie 

 soil, necessary, as also protection by 

 sufi'ering the limbs to grow low. 



Mr. Montague had succeeded tolerably 

 well in the northern part of the State. His 

 trees had not suffered from blight for several 

 years, thought certain varieties more subject 

 to it than others; did better on northern 

 slope, than facing the sun. He manifested 

 confidence in pear raising in Illinois^ but 

 thought better to adopt only the more hardy 

 varieties, especially the Bartlett and St. 

 Grermain. 



Mr. Kennicott advocated deep cultivation, 

 underdraining, shelter in central and north- 

 ern Illinois, avoidance of stimulants, stand- 

 ard growth and especially Egypt as the 

 place to raise good pears. 



Mr. Phoenix had confidence in the success 

 of pear culture in this portion, particularly 

 of the standard, and thought the dwarf 

 would do well south. Recommend hardy 

 varieties here. 



Mr. Overman was desparing of general 

 success in the cultivation of the pear, 

 through the many obstacles to be overcome, 

 the principal of which was the univers»»l 

 negligence among farmers in its cultivation. 

 Several other members expressed desponding 

 views, mostly considering wet soil detrimen- 

 tal, and drainage essentially necessary, and 

 many instances of the beneficial effects of 

 shelter from sun were remarked. A con- 

 tinued application of the plow and hoe was 

 by others considered sufficiently stimulant. 

 Altogether it seemed pretty generally con- 

 ceded that in successful cultivation of the 

 pear, deep and ceaseless stirring of the soil, 

 effectual drainage, and sufficient shelter and 

 protection, are more essential that a firm but 

 inactive reliance on the goodness of Provi- 

 dence. 



Messrs. Phoenix, Bryant and Kennicott 

 were appointed a committee to recommend a 

 list of the best varieties of pear for cultiva- 

 tion. 



On cultivation of the plum, which came 

 next on the programme, the experience of 

 Mr. Shaw, of Tazewell county, seemed to 

 prove favorable to what he terms the Chick- 

 asaw variety — a deep red plum. He had 

 reared them to considerable extent and 

 profit, missing a crop but once or twice in 

 fifteen years; his trees bearing often three 

 bushels each at three dollars per bushel. A 

 good enough recommendation. He thought 

 them superior to the wild plum, and the 

 awarding committee at the State Fair seem- 

 ed to think so too. 



On the other hand Messrs. Bryant and 

 Overman could not recommend the Chicka- 

 saw — the former reporting them a decided 

 failure in Bureau county. The wild plum 

 found several sanguine advocates, who 

 thought them more hardy and a sure crop 



when not inclosed from stock to trample the 

 ground ground them. 



Mr. Phoenix thought the Damson profit- 

 able here; there was much demand for them, 

 and they were remarkably free from the cur- 

 culio. Had done well, especially- where the 

 ground was trampled. 



Mr. Shaw set his out from eight to twelve 

 feet apart, with the ground well plowed; but 

 recommended no cultivation after two years. 



Mr. Minier coincided in favor of the 

 Chickasaw, as bound to succeed, especially 

 in Southern Illinois, and become the plum. 



Mr. Kennicott found no trouble, with 

 underdrainage, in raising plenty of plums, 

 and was not confined to the Chickasaw, but 

 recommended a selection of hardy varieties, 

 among others the Imperial Gage. He would 

 rather go east once in five or six years, take 

 his fill of grand plums, and depend upon the 

 remembrance of their lucious flavor, than to 

 te compelled to eat the Chickasaw upon any 

 condition. 



Mr. Bryant thought budding more uncer- 

 tain than grafting, and cleft grafting the 

 surest to grow; considered underdraining an 

 advantage. As to varieties he preferred the 

 Lombard as hardy, and objected to the 

 Nectarine as tender in winter. Had tried 

 Brewster's remedy for curculio with success. 

 Brewster's remedy is to syringe the tree 

 with white wash, chamber lye and other 

 offensive fluids. 



Mr. Edwards in an experience of many 

 had succeeded well with the Lombard, and 

 as a protection against the curculio recom- 

 mended a thorough whitewashing of the 

 trees in the spring, and an occasional after 

 application of chamber lye under them, with 

 good cultivation. 



Mr. Ellsworth presented Rosenstein's 

 remedy for curculio — fumigating the tree 

 several times a week with tobacco smoke, 

 which was considered very effectual. An- 

 other method, presented by Mr. Starr, was 

 to carry a canvas under the tree while it was 

 shaken or bumped to dislodge the curculio. 

 Should be used often. 



J. Warder thought it anakcellent method 

 and that with the intermission of a few 

 weeks in the last of May, the tree should be 

 shaken every morning from the time the 

 blossom falls. 



Messrs. Galusha, Overman and Bowman 

 were appointed a committee to recommend a 

 list of best varieties of plums and cherries 

 for cultivation. 



The Society then went into an election of 

 officers for the ensuing year, which resulted 

 as follows: President, Samuel Edwards of 

 La Moile; Corresponding Secretary, J. T. 

 Little of Dixon; Recording Secretaries, T. 

 Starr, Alton, and H. C. Freeman, of La 

 Salle; Treasurer, S. G. Minkler, Kendall 

 county; Vice Presidents, one for each Con- 

 gressional District, were elected as follows: 

 1st, L. Montague; 2d. J. W. VVukeman; 3d, 

 R. W. Waterman; 4th, N. Overman; 5th, 

 — Scarboro; 6th, J. A. Hilliard; 7th, — 

 Hostetter, of Decatur; 8 th, C. A. Montross; 

 9th, G. H. Baker. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. ^. 



The Society, immediately after dinner, 

 accepted the invitation of Profs. Hovey oad 

 Wilkins to visit the Normal School buildil^ 

 Several large sleighs were speedily loaded" 



