264 



THE ILLmOIS FAKMEK. 



Sept. 



the season in all its changes a succession of beau- 

 ty, to say notLing of the value of the fruit. 



DWARF APPLES 



It would appear that, notwithstanding the 

 dwarf apple does not fruit well on prairie soils yet 

 on the tiniber lands they piomise better, if we 

 take the numerous specimens in these grounds 

 for proof Amoi.g them we note Twenty Ounce, 

 Waggoner, Early Stianbeiry, and the Baldwin, 

 in this clump of trees, completely sheltered, as 

 it is proven a profuse bearer. Mr. Douglas sug- 

 gests that the mode of setting the dwarf apple 

 may have soraetbing to do with its productive- 

 ness ; be says that the stock of the dwarf apple. 

 like that of the pear is tender and needs the sa'''e 

 treatment, that is, the stock should be bt-low 

 ground, ytt not so deep that the graft will take 

 root. If the stock is above groui.d the wintei 

 frost w 11 so weaken it that the tree will cast its 

 fruit or i ot set any fruit buds, and if set deep 

 will root from the graft and the 'ree will then no 

 longer be a dwarf. It is posi-ible that theiemay 

 be nui;h triitJ! in his suggestions, for we know 

 that in settinir out dwarf apples little regard has 

 been had to these points. Ihe dwarf peai came 

 near proving a failure with our Western planters 

 from the same cause, and now we are carefnl to 

 plai.t thf m so that the junction of stock and 

 graft shall be jus' below the sutface of the 

 ground. Ihe ap^de trees of Mr. D. have be«n 

 set five years aid have produced laige ciops of 

 fruit. We think those on timber land by regard- 

 ing the above hints maj feel a reasonable assur- 

 ance of growirjg fruit on the dwarf ap le, at the 

 same iiiiic we wou'd feel safe with the Keswick's 

 Codlin, Yellow Iijestree, Summer Kose, Rid 

 June and Hawthorne, treated as dwarfs and 

 planted in clumps, thence with the ordinary se- 

 leciions of dw.rf apples. The above are early 

 and abundant. beartrs. have adwa'fi-h, compact, 

 symnie'rical 1 abit and are valuable for cocking. 

 !ro these we might add Red Astrachan and Dutch- 

 ess < f Oldenburg, whose sp>ice W4.S abundant, 

 and a. large quantity required. The dwarf ap- 

 pl..' mania has bad a goo J run at the West, but 

 thus far without satisfactory results. 



THE HOT WIND. 



About the middle of June the wind blew a gale 

 from the southwest for two days ; it was hot and 

 dry and cnsped up the leaves of forest and other 

 tree.*, and in many cases ki led the tender shoots. 

 Its effect is vis ble in all directions on the south 

 and west sides of tree and shrub of all kinds. — 



The fruit has been also materially lessened in 

 both quantity and quality, those most exfosed 

 moie seriously than those under shelter. 



THE LAWTON BLACKBKRRY. 



Id the grounds of Mr. D. 'his fruit maintains 

 Us eastern reputation, , and the cones are loaded 

 with fiuit, just leginning to change color. Ihey 

 evidently have shelter even here on the lake 

 shore and in timber land. Mr. D. has an acre 

 ormoiesetout for fruit, fn m which he will 

 reap a rich harvest, and so wtU is he pleaded 

 with tiiem that he is intending to extend his 

 plantation. They need winter protection and 

 shelter from the winds, when we tiiiiik they will 

 prove valuable. A light covering ol straw thrown 

 on them is all that is needed ; this, of course, 

 cannot cost much and will be well repaid in fruit. 



THE DOBCHESTKU 



Is doubtless a great humbufr, notwithstanding 

 ihe endorsemeni of the Massnchuj^etts Horticul- 

 tur'il Society. Here are plants from a celebrated 

 Boston house. A part of them have strong 

 green c^ nes, with small fruit of Httie value, and 

 a part have red cones with the s-mallest fiiiit, the 

 whole douHtle s picked up by some arrant wag 

 who named them Dorchester and imposed upon 

 the grod natured members of the society. 



In these cbsely planted holders the Mchania 

 stands thp winter and arpears healthy, while 

 many other ha'f hardy plants are quite at home. 

 Ihe Ho'se Chesnut is a fine tree along the lake 

 shore and should be more planted. 



The gem ot the place is a hedge of red cedar 

 separating the house grounds from the fruit gar- 

 den and nursery, one of arbor vita3 to the north 

 of the bouse, two years set, premises to rival it. 

 Mr. D. has made a free use of f vergreens for his 

 shelter. To break off the northwest wind a line 

 of white pines were set some years since about 

 four feet apart ; they are now over twenty feet 

 high and form a wall against the winter Hast, 

 when the foiiage has dropped from the clumps of 

 deciduous trees, and they no longer hold it in 

 check ; just think of it, a be't four hundret feet 

 of a hutdred trees costing fifty dollaii^ for plants 

 and labor, why you could not purchase it after 

 ten years set for ten time * the amount, for while 

 it is at all times beautiful it is eminently useful. 



CURRANTS. 



Mr. D has a large number of the white cur- 

 rants set in the shade along his borders, and 

 at this time ihey are loaded with ripe fruit. 



