294: 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



Sept. 



is ehipped bj the middle of July ; at Champaign 

 the first of August, and ripe apples come into 

 the Chicago market by the country teams by the 

 middle of August, and cooking apples nearly a 

 fortnight earlier. The crops of this fruit are 

 not certain through the North part of the State, 

 only in favorite locations, and the true region of 

 the apple commences near Paxton, some hun- 

 dred miles to the South of the city. Here the 

 late frosts fade out and leave the fruit unharmed 

 Thence along the route South this fruit is a favor- 

 ite, the farmers along the route avering that it 

 never fails, which we can well bel'eve. 



The early settlers never dreaming of a demand 

 for summer apples, were content to plant those 

 of winter, and here along this whole route there 

 is not enough of summer apples to supply the lo- 

 cal demand. But this defect will, to a great 

 extent, be remedied in the next half dozen years. 

 In fact, neither the city of Chicago, nor any of 

 our Northern towns are, as yet, half supplied 

 with good summer apples, even at the present 

 high rates, ($4 per bbl.) The idea is too pre- 

 valent that the hills of Egypt is the paradise of 

 Pomona True it is the seat of her power, but 

 her worshipers dwell along the route indicated, 

 the whole distance of three hundred and fifty 

 miles, and it is here that a great line of fruit 

 growers will plant and cultivate the summer 

 fruits for the North. But few orchards of sum- 

 mer apples have as yet been planted. In our 

 own apple orchard of fifty acres we have planted 

 about one-third summer varieties, and we regret 

 that the whole had not been set with them. Ap- 

 ples can be sold from the orchard at half the 

 cost of those kept over winter, but at present 

 they bring a better price. With a reduction of 

 price comes a large demand, as the consumption 

 will be increased. We would call the attention 

 of orchardists to the great value of the apple dis- 

 trict lying between Paxton and Desota ; more 

 particularly that portion North of Tonti. South 

 of that point the summer apples will pay a good 

 profit, but are subject to certain diseases, to 

 which those more North have not as yet been li- 

 able. 



THE CHEBET. 



This fruit is so little known in market, that 

 people seem to think that it cannot be grown. This 

 is true of the heart and other sweet cherries, but 

 of the morello family we can have an abundance, 

 beginning in May and closing in July. The May 

 Cherry or Kentish of Downing, the Montmoreny, 



English Morello, and two or three others are 

 hardy ; but the most valuable of all is the May, 

 when grafted on the common Morello stock. It 

 is then hardy and productive, not having failed 

 for the last eighteen years — since its first fruit- 

 ing in the North part of the State. The English 

 Morello is not so productive, but as it is some 

 two or three weeks later, is valuable on that ac- 

 count. This cherry is not as vigorous at the 

 South part of the State, but is productive and 

 ripening about the middle of May, comes in a 

 most acceptable time. Large orchards of this 

 variety are set in the West part of Cook, and in 

 the East part of Du Page counties, more espe- 

 cially in the towns near Cottage Hill. We have 

 set six hundred trees at this point, and with this 

 exception, we know of no large orchards until 

 we reach Cobden, where individuals have from 

 fifty to a hundred trees each. This fruit now 

 readily commands from four to five dollars in 

 Chicago, but would be very profitable at half 

 that sum. 



THE PLUM. 



Until some efiFectual remedy can be found 

 against the Curculio, we must despair of the ex- 

 tensive culture of this fruit. Of this we have 

 hopes in that class of cannibal forest insects that 

 have come to our aid in other departments of the 

 insect tribes. We shall not dispair at least they 

 can begrownin a small way about the bam yard 

 and the pig pen. 



PKOTECTION. 



We do not wish any of our readers to understand 

 that planting an orchard on the open prairie will 

 ensure success. Protection by groves, river 

 belts, or belts of trees planted for the purpose, 

 or untrimmed hedges, are needed to ensure sucx 

 cess. Of these and other essentials, we shall 

 treat at large hereafter. 



Within the past year we have received over 

 two hundred letters from persons in almost ev- 

 ery State in the Union, making inquiries in re- 

 gard to fruit culture in this State. To all such 

 the above will be a more full and satisfactory 

 answer than our limited time would enable us to 

 give. We shall take up the subject of the cul- 

 ture of the several fruits, as best adapted to the 

 soil and climate along the whole route indioAted, 

 which must stand unchallenged as the most 

 profitable region for the culture of the summer 

 fruits, in the whole valles of the upper Missis- 

 sippi. 



