50 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEK. 



Feb. 



ber and take them up about the 1st of May. 

 Put a rock oa to keep the vine (Jown and retard 

 the flow of sap. When I take them up, the buds 

 have started some; if there is danger of frost, I 

 cover them up; have had but one failure, (in 

 1856) in ten yeara. 



Bragdon — Brush would not uncover bef jre Ist 

 to 15th of >[ay. A dozen others give substan- 

 tially the same testimony. 



[It was conceded by every person present that 

 all grape vines, even the hardy Clinton, were 

 largely benefitted by laying down in the fall and 

 covering up. The crop of fruit in all cases are 

 uiore certain. When the renewal system is adopt- 

 ed, this laying down is easily effected.] 



Kidder — A friend of mine keeps grapes back 

 by covering them with corn stalks. 



The Concord was added to the list for general 

 cultivation. 



The following were announced as the commit- 

 tees from the seven fruit districts, filled so far as 

 possible in accordance with the resolution of yes- 

 terday : 



1. Lake Shord District — Douglas, Periam and 

 Bragdon, 



2. Galena District — No one present. 



3 Northern Illiiiois — Kimball, Whitney and 

 Minkler. 



4. Bloomington District — Dunlap, Overman 

 and Phoenix. 



5. Al'on District — Huggins, Starr and Flagg. 



6. Centralia District — No one present. 



7. Jonesboro' District — No one present. 



The committee on communications would re- 

 port that they recommend that the reports of the 

 Madison County Agricultural Society, and the 

 report of the St. Louii Horticultural Society be 

 copied and published with our proceedings. 



The report was received and adopted. 



[We learn that the St. Louis Horticultural So- 

 ciety have raised a sum of money to fay their 

 proportion of the proceedings. 



Geo. M. Beeler, of Indianapolis, was elected 

 an honorary member. 



Messrs. Overman, Wakeman, Phoenix, Dunlap 

 and Edwards were appointed a committee to in- 

 vestigate the question of the identity of the 

 Early Miy and the Early Richmond, and report 

 at this meeting. 



Some wine from the black currant, sent up by 

 John A. Pettingill, of Bunker Hill, in the State of 

 Macoupin, got uncorked soniehow, about this 

 time, and created some confusion, owing to its 

 good quality; order being restored, the society 

 proceeded to discuss 



GBAFSS AGAIN. 



Catawba. 



Nash — I have had ten years experience with it 

 and good crops of it. 



Edwards — I am satisfied with it. 



Bragdon — I have found it well ripened this 

 year north of this. 



Becommended. 



Hartford Prolific. 



Ellsworth — I introduce it. to elicit discussion. 



Edwards — I have had a few years experience 

 with it, and like it. 



Chandler — I have fruited it in Southern Wis- 

 consin; it ripens the 10th of September; is apt 

 to fall off whan ripe; never mildews. 



Andrews — I have seen it; it is thought a good 

 deal of at Rock ord; is of good quality; I regard 

 it as worthy of general cultivation. 



So recommended. 



The question of protection to grape vines being 

 agrain raised, Messrs. Andrews, Dunlap and Starr 

 were appointed a committee to bring in resolu- 

 tions in regard to the protection of grapes. 



Mr. Andrews, from the above committee, made 

 the following 



REPORT ON PROTECTION OF QBAPB VINES. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen : Your committee 

 to whom was referred the subject of winter pro- 

 tection of grape vines, having had the matter 

 under consideration, would respectfully report 

 that it is our opinion that all vines growing in 

 the open air, however hardy they may be, will 

 bear fruit of larger quality in better quantity, 

 and with less liability to failure, by protecting 

 them in winter, by laying them upon the ground 

 in such manner that water will not settle and 

 freeze around them, and covering with earth or 

 coarse straw litter, and that this may be done 

 conveniently, we recommend that they be fall 

 pruned, and cultivated with reference to giving 

 them such protection; and that the vines may be 

 conveniently laid down closely to the ground 

 without danger of breaking or splitting them, 

 we suggest that they be pressed over when young 

 in such manner that they will rise from the 

 ground in an oblique or curvilinear, instead of a 

 perpendicular direction. 



C. N. Andrews. 



M. L. DUNTAP. 



Northern Mvseadine, 



Phoenix — I move it be placed on amatuer list; 

 it ripens in October at^Geneva; I thought it next 

 to Delaware; very hardy; grapes drop. 



Sherman — I have fruited this year; it is a fine 

 red grape; place it below Concord and Diana; 

 they all drop from the vine. 



Andrews — It i? being cultivated in Wisconsin, 

 and promises well one of the best fox grapes, 

 drops from the vines, but so do all fox grapes, 

 even the Concord. 



