1862. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEE. 



293 



paign the experiment tends strongly to cor- 

 roborate the above. Many suppose that for 

 the grape we need steep bill-sidos and, very sun- 

 ny exposures, but this is not necessarily so ; in 

 fact, we thiuk common rolling ground with a 

 Souihern aspect is all that we require fof this 

 fruit. The Isabella, the great table grape of the 

 North, does better a hundred than three hundred 

 miles South of Lake Michigan. The wine re- 

 gion will probably be found South of Odin, or at 

 least not far North of it, and it is certain that 

 some other variety must take the place of the 

 Catawba, unless the climate, or a change in cul- 

 ture should ward off the rot which is now so des- 

 tructive to it. Among the numerous varieties 

 now on trial, we have no doubt that several will be 

 found adapted to the various soils and shades of 

 climate along our favorite fruit tract. 



PEARS. 



This fruit has been successfully cultivatrd in 

 many parts of the State, and when well shelter- 

 ed by belts of forest trees frem the severe prairie 

 winds, it is believed that it can be grown to 

 more or less profit in all parts of the State, but 

 that part lying South of Neoga gives promise of 

 being the most valuable for this fruit. Thus far, 

 in the neighborhood of Cobden, this fruit is ap- 

 parently of as easy culture, as the ap"ple and 

 dwarf trees of three and four years planting, are 

 loaded with the most perfect specimens of fruit. 



We are learning much that is of value in pear 

 culture, and unless cut short by the blight can 

 see no reason why this fruit may not take its 

 place among the other desirable summer fruits. 



THE PEACH. 



We must set down Champaign county as the 

 firt point South, from which occasional crops of 

 this fruit may reach the toarket. It is quite cer- 

 tain that a fair average crop can be grown there 

 two out of four years. But the crop is not only 

 too late in maturing to warrant us in large spec- 

 ulations, yet it should fill an important place in 

 every orchard and in every fruit garden. , Trees 

 should be planted every year, so that if an unto- 

 ward winter comes along, that all will not be 

 destroyed. In going South, we must reach Neo- 

 ga before we would recommend peach orchards 

 for market, and from this point, on all the well 

 drained -lands, and those thrown into ridges as at 

 Tonti until we reach the Big Muddy, we consider 

 the climate and soil as valuable, or at least as 

 profitable for peaches as those among the hills of 

 of the grand chain. We are aware that there is 



a prejudice in favor cf those hills exclusively ; 

 this is so as to the early crop, and doubtless the 

 finer varieties of foreign peaches, but for the 

 main crop we think that whole section the most 

 valuable for this fruit. At Alma, a few miles 

 North of Odin at the crossing of the 0. and M., 

 road, we have seen some of the best peaches 

 sent to market. One person had shipped a thou- 

 sand boxes up2 to the 20th day of August, less 

 than two weeks later than from Cabden. The 

 truth is all of that part of the route lying be- 

 tween Neoga and Desoto has been overlooked by 

 persons seeking for a suitable location for the 

 peach and other fruits. From several years of 

 observation, we know this to be the true state of 

 the case. The more level condition of the coun- 

 try gives it greater facilities for culture, its 

 grasses furnish hay and pasturage which in turn 

 furnish manure, a necessary element in the cul- 

 ture of the summer fruits. We therefore call 

 the attention of the fruitgrower to that part of 

 the route above indicated. In the settlements at 

 some distance from the railroad, large amounts of 

 fruits are now produced; but the long land car- 

 riage will not admit of the profitable culture of 

 this fruit, which must, from this cause, confine 

 it to a narrow belt along the route indiceted. It 

 will thus be seen that the peach district is not so 

 limited after all. That the whole basin of Egypt 

 will produce the fruit, is suflSciently evident, but 

 we know that it cannot bear a long land carriage 

 and that for market purposes its culture must be 

 limited to narrow belts along the railroads. 



THE APPLE. 



Say what we may of the summer fruits, they 

 individually sink into insignificance as compared 

 with this king of fruits, for it not only takes itg 

 place among the summer fruits, but extends its 

 time through the long winter, and through the 

 spring, until the strawberry and currant come 

 to fill its place. It is the great utilitariam 

 around which they all revolve as lesser lights, 

 though taken in the aggregate, are of no smal 

 importance. The apple has a wide range of soil 

 and climate, and from long use has become an 

 essential element of our food. It is eaten raw, 

 baked, stewed, boiled roasted and fried. It 

 comes on the table in a hundred palatable shapes, 

 in some of which it is welcome to all. While 

 peaches sell at one and two dollars a box, this 

 fruit is less than half the price. From the South 

 part of the State, Red June, early Harvest and 

 other early sorts reach the North early in JuFy, 

 and even the last of June. At Cincinnati it 



