1862. 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEE. 



239 



Wisconsin Fruit Growers' Association. 



This valuable report has been on our table for 

 some -weeks, but abseuce and other pressing du- 

 ties has prevented any very special attention to 

 it. We cut such portions from the report as will 

 interest our readers : 



CURRANTS. 



0. S. Willey — Cherry Currants are a humbug 

 in my opinion, though for the present very popu- 

 lar ; they require more thorough testijg ; have 

 proven shy bearers ; bunches short and compar- 

 atively few berries, though large. White Grape 

 is an acquisition, a good bearer, fruit large and 

 sweet. Worst feature — bush is very spreading 

 and crooked grower. All currants require high 

 cultivation ; too much manure can hardly be ap- 

 plied ; prune very close in the fall ; spade the 

 ground sis inches deep; cover the ground about 

 four inches deep with half rotted stable manure; 

 this answers as a mulch to the roots and cooling 

 shade to the fruit in summer. In fall spade the 

 ground again, and re-cover with the half rotted 

 manure; always plant in plats, three by four 

 feet, instead of long rows. Bl^ck English, or 

 Naples, which appear to be identical as cultivated 

 in the West, make excellent wine. 



Atwood — For me, Black English is preferable 

 to any other sort. 



J. T. Stevens — Believe the White Grape fully 

 equal to the White Dutch, for general cultiva-- 

 tionCherry too acid and bunch too small. 



E. B. Quiner — Never saw ground too rich for 

 the currant ; mulch and work the ground thor- 

 oughly. 



Eecommended for general cultivation: Red 

 and White Dutch and White Grape. For further 

 trial, Victoria, Red and White Gendemin, Red 

 Grape, Cherry, Long Bunch Red, Knight's Sweet 

 Red, and Versailles. 



OKAPES. 



Stevens thinks the Northern Muscadine a good 

 grape, well worthy a place in every garden ; 

 bunches usually large; fruit well set ; Diana and 

 Delaware are superior to Isabella in flavor, and 

 much earlier ; the first being as large. Concord 

 is better in earliness but not in flavor. Diana 

 vines perfectly hardy and good grower ; have 

 made growth three-fourth inch in diameter this 

 season. Elsingburgh, a very fine sweet table 

 grape. Clinton, good hardy vine and an abun- 

 dant bearer, where better ones fail. 



Plnmb— Would put the Elsingburgh first in the 

 list of "hardy" vines. Vermont is hardy, and 

 resembles the first in manner of growth. Char- 

 ter Oak is very nice to look at, but not worth the 

 ground it occupies. All grapes bear better if 

 laid down in winter, start better in spring; think 

 Vermont, Elsingburg, Concord and Clinton are 

 worthy general cultivation for arbor and trellis 

 vines, and when people do not want the trouble 

 of protectidg in the winter. Under an improved 

 system of culture, the Delaware, Diana and other 

 half hardy varieties will supplant all the old se- 

 cond rate sorts, j 



Cooper has no fault to find with Northern Mus- 

 cadine, Hartford Prolific, Isabella, Concerd or 

 Clinton, all are worthy. 



Stevens — Isabella needs protection, would re- 

 commend it for half hardy vines. Catawba not 

 te be depended upon, as the frost sometimes cuts 

 the fiuit ofi^. Diana is sweet as sooa rs fruit be- 

 gins to turn ; grown it four years ; never lost an 

 inch of wood from the cold ; ripens about three 

 weeks earlier than Isabella. Diana and Isabella 

 keep well after gathering ; no trouble to keep 

 them till Christmas. 



The society recommends for general cultivation 

 the Isabella, Concord, Clinton and Vermont. For 

 further trial, Delaware, Union Village, Marion 

 Port, Diana, Rebecca, Northern Muscadine and 

 Elsingburg. 



LAWTON BLACKBEEBIES. 



Stevens — Plants all kill ; Red and Tellow Ant- 

 werp Raspberry satisfies me ; protects by cover- 

 ing with loam. 



Willey — A humbug as far north as this, or in 

 this climate. A few miles south, but on the lake 

 shore, bears abundantly. Clay soils s-eem to suit 

 it best, but need draining ; protection with straw 

 of no avail ; grows at the east ; plant upon well 

 drained, heavy soil, in rows three by five feet 

 apart ; cultivate with horse. 



CHEBRIES. 



Kellogg — Would recommend common Red Eng- 

 lish and the Morellos. Succeed best in propa- 

 gating by budding. 



Brayton — Belle de Choisey and Reine Hor- 

 tense do well on dry upland. 



Atwood has seen good success by grafting. 



Willey — Cherries should be worked only in the 

 Mahaleb stock ; Mazzard too spongy and tender 

 for our western sols. Train trees with low heads, 

 or rather, with nobodies; form bushes, not trees. 

 Early Richmond is as hardy as any fruit known; 

 Plum Stone Morello resembles it in growth, and 

 is equally as hardy. Governor Wood, with low 

 head, also succeeds. 



Plumb — Would set dwarfs ; dwarfs by nature, 

 dwarfs by pruning and dwarfs by propagation ; 

 have lost thousands of (prospective,) dollars by 

 trying to grow Heart and Bigarreau cherry trees. 

 The Dukes and Morellos, especially the latter, 

 are alone to be depended upon, and there are 

 enough of them that are first rate to warrant 

 setting largely. 



CANT GROW PEACHES. 



Kellog — Trying a few, and anticipate success ; 

 put them under ground in fall ; that is, cover 

 them sufficiently with dry straw and manure. 

 Trees to be low trained. 



Brayton — Curbing with boards and filling with 

 straw, sawdust or dirt, will answer a good pur- 

 pose. 



Willey — Never planted a peach in the West, 

 but have seen them tried in various ways ; train- 

 ing low, bending to the grou'..d and giving earth 



