,.^. , 



30 



THE ILLINOIS F^HMiER. 



and after an absence of more than an hour 

 the members returned to business evidently 

 much refreshed and pleased with the trip. 



The nowly elected President was duly in- 

 Btalled in office, and congratulated in a short 

 speech from the recent incumbent, C. II. 

 Overman, to which Mr, Edwards made a 

 brief but pertinent reply. A vote of thanks 

 was also tendered all the retiring officers by 

 unanimous acclanjatioii of tlic Society, lor 

 the faithful manner in which their dutica 

 have been performed, 



Mr. EIl3(T0rth, of DuPage, President of the State Board of 

 Ap-iculture, referred to the kiniily and efficient CO-operation 

 of the Horticultural Society with the former in tlieir lute State 

 Foira, and expressed the hope of a continued alliance oflnter- 

 csta. To whicli Mr. Galusha responded on tlie i)art of the Hor- 

 ticultural Society, and a resolution was passed that its oflicera 

 confer with those of the State Agricultural Society in regard to 

 further co-operation at State Fairs. 



The subject of Oi chard Culture was again talcen up, and 

 aftee much loss of time in detemiininK what branch of it was 

 in order, Mr. Kennicott was permitted to remarlc that he de- 

 cidedly preferred, in planting an apple orchard, to choose 

 young and small trees. For Southern Illinois he would set 

 out the free-growing kinds at one year, those of slower growth 

 at two years; for Central and Northern Illinois he wuulit take 

 the free and the slow growers of two and three year.s old re- 

 ■pectively. Among the reasons for preferring small trees hO 

 Rientione<l these, — that the roots can he got so much more per- 

 fect, the freight is les.s, the purchaser gets more trees for his 



money, and the young trees crh be much more easily trained 



Into a good sitape than those of larger growth. 



Mr. Ellsworth concurred in preferring young trees, yet not 

 so young that they could not be protected in the orchard. 

 Prefvrs those of two to four years, or an average of three 

 years, in the North, Plant in autumn, if the ground can be 

 well prepared. Plant twenty-five feet apart each way, as the 

 best distance to suit a general assortment of botli ujiright and 

 spreading growers. Use no manure but mulching, fur young 

 trees. 



Messrs. Warder, Whitney and Ellsworth concurred in letting 

 small branches grow out below the permanent head of the tree, 

 In order to Increase the size of the trunk. Mr. Minklcr gave 

 his views on pruning. These sjieakers Illustrated their re- 

 marks upon the brunch of a tree whlcli liiid been brought into 



the room. Mr. Minliler would have regard to the natural hal>it 

 of the tree in pruning it to for a head. 



Mr. Whitney described his mode of planting an orchard. 

 Sets low-headed trees — or rather Ifavea them utancliiiff in 

 nursery ground which is about to be abandoned, — as close as 

 10 by 16 feet for some kinds; 12 by 16 feet, aud up to 20 by 

 24. Root-prunes pretty severely every alternate tree in 

 the other rows; this dwarfs them and makes them begin 

 bearing early; will bear tliemselves to death in some teu years, 

 when they can be cut out, leaving an orchard standing. Root- 

 prunes in the spring. Just as the bud is bursting, or else after 

 the June growth. 



Mr. Ellsworth — would cultivate orchard in hoed crops until 

 trees fairly get to bearing, then seed down with clover. Mr, 

 Whitney concurred. 



The gathering and preservation of the fruit next received 

 ■ome attention, Mr. Bryant leading ofiT. The main thing was, 

 to hand-pick very carefully, on a dry day; don't bruise them 

 or pull out the stems; place them by hand in barrels, and 

 head them up, immediately from tlietree, without preliminary 

 "sweating" in pilos; keep the barrels where the temperature is 

 low without reaching the freezing point. Several other mem- 

 bers concurred in these views. Mr. Montague found apples 

 keep we!I in bins not more than a foot deep, but best of all in 

 headed barrels. Mr. Bragdon coecurred in preferring barrels; 

 has packed fruit in str^w; but preferred to use nothing of the 

 lort; simply put the apples into barrels and head them up. 

 Several others concurred in saying that salt barrels or pine 

 boxes will impart a taste to the fruit. . 



Dr. Worder called attention to the necessity of packing 

 apples very tightly in barrels, even to crowding the head down 

 with such force as to bruise the upper tier considerably; this 

 is necessary where they are to hear transportation. Several 

 others coi.carred heartily In this. Messrs. Overman and 

 Bryant stated tliat if apples be packed in air-tight barrels, 

 they may be left out doors or in other freezing places all win- 

 ter, and the fruit will not spoil. 



Sv^ning. — .Kt about 7,V o'clock p. m., at Phoenix Hall, 

 meeting called to order. An interesting communication was 



was read from Cyrus Thomas of Murphysboro', describing tlie 



climate and sails of Southern Illinois, and drawinjf the conclu- 

 sion that Egypt was '25 per cent, ahead of the North in adap- 

 tation to fruit growing. He fixed the Ohio and Mississippi 

 Railroad as Egypt's Northern boundary. 



Prof. C. D. Wilbur delivered an eloquent and interesting 

 lecture, on the formation of the prairies aud prairie soils. His 

 explanation of these wonderful formations, was that this part 

 of the prairie country was once covered witli a deep aea, like 

 the sea of Saragossa, where the vegetation and drift of other 

 climes settled and termed beds of coal — of drift borne down 

 from distant mauntains. ami carried out into this sea, in the 

 same manner that deltas are uow being formed at the estuarios 

 of our large rivers. Some mighty power with Titon force, 

 raised the bed of this vast ocean from beneath its rolling bil- 

 lows; not at all once but gradually, leaving a lake whose 

 Southern rim was the grand chain of hills, and its Northern 

 border now marked by the gray or lime drift which form the 

 Southern limit of the great corn zone of the State. At length 

 this lake broke through this wall of silicious conglomerate and 

 the windings of the Upper Mississippi presented itself to view. 

 As his lecture is to be published we took no notes and shall not 

 attempt even a synopsis. 



FOlTRTH'n.tT. 



The'plan of exercises for the forenoon session was — Ipt. 

 Discussion on the place of holding the next annual mceliiig of 

 the Society; '2d, Difcussion on the proper and most ni>|)roved 

 implements for deep and thorough tillage of the soil; :id, Re- 

 port of the throe committees a])i)ointed to prepare a list of 

 varieties of apples best adapted to cultivation in different sec- 



tions of the State; 4th, Report of committee on fruits exliibited 

 at this meeting; 5th, Miscellaneous business; Cth, Grape cul- 

 ture. Progranuiie adojited. 



In discns.'<lng the plan to hold the next meeting invitations 



were extended from citizens of Ulooniington. .Mr. Hragdon 

 on the part of Chicago extended a cordial invitation. .Mr. 

 Dunlap invited the Society to Lrbana, and assured them of a 

 ordiul reception. .Mr. Waterman also gave them a cordial 

 invitation to the hopitalities of Willmington; but Bloomington 

 was selected as the mjist convenient of access, and also that 

 the Society had proved the genuine hospitality of the city for 

 two sessions, and they had every assurance that they w'ould 

 not be wanting in the third. 



."^Ir. Kllsworth moved a committee of three be appointed to 



prepare a programme of geiierul subjects for consideration of 



the Society at its next meeting; conmiittee to report before 



the close of the present session, in order to give members time 

 to prepare views. Messrs. Ualusha, Overuuvn aud Dunlap 

 were apjiointed. 



Upon implements of deep culture, Mr. Minicr spoke favora- 

 bly of the working of Toby & Anderson's Deep Tiller, mana- 



facturcd in Peoria. Had seen It do beautiful work on land 

 covered thickly with high weeds, covering them nicely while 

 turning a furrow ten inches deep. His good opinion was cor- 

 roborated by several other speakers. Mr. Ellsworth thought 

 it excellent for weeds or stubble, but for bringing up undersoil 

 and thorough pulverization recommended the Michigan 

 Double riiHC, manufactured by Derre, of Moline. AVith four 

 horses or three yoke of cattle, etfectually worked up a double- 

 furrow in timothy sod. leaving the fine soil on top. A marked 

 advantage claimed for it over using two plows for same depth, 

 was in turning the top soil containing weed seeds so far under 

 as to prevent their growth until the crop had secured a good 

 growth, at the same time mixing well the sub and top soils. 

 Thought that by general adoption it would ell'ect a great revo- 

 lution in orops. As to the draft, it was allowed to be less than 



a sinple plow running at the same dcjitli and comparatively 

 light at fourteen inches. 



Mr. Dunla|> recommended the Michigan highly as a pratrie- 

 breaker, for which the plows should be set about two inches 

 apart, and the top plow cutting about an inch deep, turning 

 under the turf like a scroll, cutting in all some three inches 

 deep, he had broken seven acres in this way last February and 

 first of .March, aud in September it was so thoroughly rotted 

 that no coulter was required to cro.s, plow it. As a complete 

 pulverizer of the soil, he would recommend them for old land 

 also; but to his mind their greatest value was in 

 breaking up prairie or meadow land. Mr. Deere, the 



manufacturer, testified to their pojiularity by stating sales of 



two hundred the present season, to be used mostly on old 



ground, where they would i)low eight or ten inches with one 

 span of horses. 



Mr. Kennicott considered the Double Michigan ahead of all 

 others, on uni/ soil, and rejiorted a perfect furor lor it in 

 Egypt. It would jilow two acres per day, and with three 

 horses turn a depth of from 14 to IS inches, tive acres of such 

 work being in his opinion better than forty plowed in the old 

 way. 



In regard to the draft of this plow, some objections were 

 made by those who had given it atrial sevend yoars ago, when 

 it was first introdnced. Great improvements in it since, have, 

 according to amjile experience of others who spoke of it, en- 

 tirely obviated this dilliculty. Its simjiiicity and ease of 

 regulation to any gauge, from three to fifteen inches, was also 

 adduced as likely to secure its genejal use as a deep tiller. 



APPLES FOK KORTUblHN ILLINOIS. 



Best twelve varieties, considering hardness, productive- 

 ness, quality and profit. 



iSum7ner. 



Red .\strachan — Hardy, productive, and profitable. 



Early Pennock— Early and abundant bearer, and best mar- 

 ket fruit of its season. 



Carolina Red June — June, productive, enrly bearer, growth 

 slow. 



I'all. 



Maiden's Blush— Very beautiful, an abundant bearer, excel- 

 lent for cooking and drying. 



Fameuse — Uardy, excellent, profit.tble. 



Kcswiok Codlin — An early bearer, very valuable for culin- 

 ary purposes. 



Winter. 



Dominie — Great bearer, pood quality, profitable. 



Jonathan — Hardy, excellent, profitable. 



White Pippin— (iood quality, productive, will take the place 

 of the Newtown Pijipin. 



Winesap — Good and profitable in all localities. 



Willow Twig — Good bearer and best late keeper, poor tree 

 In nursery. 



liittie Red Romanite — Contains the dollars and cents. 



For a Sweet Ajiple — Talman Sweet. 



GKEATER M'MBER OF VARIETIES. 



Summre ^Ticnon'i^ Swect June. 

 ^all — Kambo, Lowel. 



IC/^^cj'— Fulton, Swaar, Yellow Bellllower, Roman Stem. 

 Messrs. Gahisha, Overman and Montgomery objected to 

 Little Romanite. 



Mr. Overman moved to substitute Sweet Romanite. Lost. 



Mr. Galusha moved to insert Rawles' Janctt. Lost. 

 LIST OK APPLES FOR SOl'THERN ILLINOIS — BEST TWELVI 



VARIETIKf!. 



Summer — E. Harvest, Car. Red June, Bcnonl. 

 J''trll Maiden's Blush; Fameuse, Rambo. 

 Wintei — Jonathan, Yellow Bellllower, Rawles' Janett, 

 Dominie, Winesap, Willow Twig. 



SrpPLEME.NTART LIST. 



Summer — Sweet June, Astrachan, Early Pennock. 

 »///— Hask.ill's Swect, K. Codlin, Fall Wine. 

 iri?i^<?;'— Buckingham, Peck's Pleasant, White Pippin, New- 

 town Pippin, Tulnian Sweet, Carolina. 



LIST FOR SOl'THERN ILLINOIS. 



f!utnmet^T.&T\y Harvest, Red June, Red Astrachan. 

 ./■«//— Maiden's Blush, Buckingham, Rambo. 

 Winter — Itawles' Janett, AVliite Winter Pearniain, Limber 

 Twig, Winesap, Yellow Bellllower, and Newtown Pippin. 



EXTRA LIST. 



Pryor's Red, Carolina. 



Sir. Starr moved to strike out Rambo and insert Fall 

 Wine. Lost. The lists were tlieu adopted as reported by the 

 committee. 



Report of Committee on Agricultural and Ilortinultural 

 Education was then read .■uid taken up for consideration. The 

 discussion resulted in the a]ipoinrment of a committee to ask 

 the concurrence of the State Board ofthe Agricultural Society, 

 and to call a Convention to consider the matter. The plan is 

 to ask the Legislature to give the use ofthe Normal farm for 

 an experimental farm, orchard and garden, and to add lec- 

 tures on agriculture and horticulture to tha Normal School 

 department. The amount asked will be about ?10,l)00 per an- 

 num. This movement has nothing to do with the exploded 

 Industrial enterprise that has figured so largely in former 



times. 



Jlr. Chase, chairman of the committee to whom the addresi 



of e.\-Pres!dent Overman was referred, presented the following 

 report and resolutions: 



To the Illinoix State lloriiaultural Society : — Your com- 

 mittee to whom was referred the President's address, would 

 respectfully report that ofthe severtd interesting tojiics treated 



of it in that document, most have l>een under discussion in the 



regular course of proceedings of your body. There is one, 

 however, which from its importance demands especial atten- 

 tion at our hands. We refer to the subject of Horticultural 

 Education for the youth of our State. No part of that excellent 

 address has imiiressed your committee with more favor or 

 given them a Iiigher estimate of the forecast and wisdom of its 

 author. 



AVe view Horticulture as a branch of Agriculture. In this 

 calling about three-fourths of the people of our State are en- 

 gaged. Other branches of business have their schools in which 

 their candidates for admission must go through a course of 

 preparation. The training received by those who enter the 

 learned professions is given in richly endowed and ably con- 

 ducted institutions. They are not only qualilied to fill their 

 posts with honor, bus we see them in after life taking the lead 

 of men more worthy and more talented though less favored in 

 their youth by educational advantages. The workshop; the 

 manufactory and the otiice are schools in which are taught the 

 theouy as well as the practice of manufaotures and commerce. 

 Persons following these avocations are naturally drawn to- 

 gether in cities and villages, when commercial colleges and 

 mechanics' institutes are appreciated and fostered. In them 

 the knowledge of the jiast is treasured up and by them trans- 

 mitted. They are the rejiository of every new fact elicited or 

 improvement made, and through them the acquirement of that 

 knowledge is rendered easy. With farmers it is otherwise. 



Their business and liabits of life render them solitary. Scat- 

 tered over a wide extent of territory, each one is forced to 

 pursue his own plans in his own way, knowing little what his 

 fellows have done, except through the intervention of the ag- 

 ricultural press. We therefore find the tillers' of the soil la- 

 mentably ignorant of the first great principles which underlie 



the science and practice of agriculture. Farming in the west, 



including that elegant and important branch. Horticulture, is 

 to a great extent a system of disastrous experiments, based on 

 undefined and often falsely assumed premises. 



It avails little that we, j-ear liy j'ear, expend time and mo- 

 ney in e.xperiments, if our children must go over the same 

 tedious process after us, being none, the wiser for what we 

 have done. Some method of transmission must be devised. 

 The child should stand on the shoulders of his father, sweeping 

 a wider field of vision ; for so, every generation, rising in the 

 light of its predecessor, can start where he left off, and thus, 

 in process of time, attain a summit from which the whole field 

 of science can be viewed. 



To ])lace the children on this vantage ground it is only ne- 

 cessary to teach tliem the reliable results of the experiments of 

 the past. A single result may have cost the labor of a gene- 

 ration, and yet can be learned in a day. Knowledge stimu- 

 bites inquiry. Children placed at the top of the knowledge of 

 tlieir time, would be especially stimulated to add new facts, 

 and thus, by systematic advancement, we may gain access, 

 one by one, to the secrets of nature, until she shall cease to be 

 an unexiiiained mystery. Knowledge imparts delight. A 

 secret learned, a fact gained attaches its possessor to the study 

 Investigated. The illiterate farmer merely stays and vege- 

 tates. The educated man is enamored of his profession, aud 

 follows it with a zeal stronger than the attractions of commer- 

 cial i>ursuits, or the honors of public life. We regard this 

 subject worthy of our ablest and best citizens, and therefore 

 recommend the adoption of the following resolutions : 



Kesolved, That a committee of five be appointed to call a 

 convention of the people of this State to concert measures for 

 the establishment of a permanent system of agricultural in- 

 struction on a practical and economical basis. 



Jlexolved, That said committee be furtlier instructed to lay 

 before such convention, facts and statistics on the subject. 



Rexolved, That the conmiittee be directed to confer with 

 the Executive Board of the State Agriculiural Society at their 

 next meeting, with a view to securing the co-oper.ition of that 

 society. C. T. CHASE, Chairman. 



The report and resolutions were adopted, and Messrs. C. R. 

 Overman, Minier, Dunlap, Galusha and C. T. Chase were 

 appointed a committee of five to act as referred to in the above 

 resolutions. Tlie reading of the report was the occasion of 



drawing out a fine expression of feeling from several of the 



members upon the important matters therein treated upon 

 and contemplated. Messrs. Dunlap, Minier, Overman, Chase 

 and others were eloquent in the advocacy of the incorporation 

 of a school for the practical education of tlie agricultural com- 

 munity — a kind of manual labor branch of the State Normal 

 School — wherein the principles forming the foundation of the 

 science upon which two-thirds of the people of the State de- 

 pend for a laborious livelihood shall l>e taught by practical 

 teachers in a practical manner, instead of being slowly wrought 

 out by uncertain experiment. 



CiLTfRE OF THE Grape. — Dr. Warder being called upon, 

 said that he should not prefer the prairie for vine culture, but 

 if planting in that region would select the most exposed situa- 

 tions — elevated and airy. Prepare the ground by using the 

 Double Michigan and the steel subsoil plows, such as that shown 

 by Mr. Deere, of Moline ; stirring as deeply as possible ; drain 

 it possible; furrow the ground so as to plant five by six feet, 

 setting two cuttings or one rooted plant at each intersection ; 

 cultivate well; keep clean and throw the soil to the vine so 

 that they shall be on ridges eventually, and thus have surface 

 drainage between the rows. Trimming — winter, when not 

 frozen ; remove all the shoots but one cane of last year's 

 growth, and a spur from which to bring up two canes for the 

 next year. The long cane is cut back to a point where sulKt 

 ciently strong, say from three to six feet long, for bow training. 

 In the siiring, as the buds start, this cane is to be bent and 

 tied to the stake. The summer pruning is very important ; all 



