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1863. 



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THE ILLmOIS FAEMEE. 



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Wm. R. Prince on Peach Trees. 



Eminence, III., Jan. 14, '63. 



Editor Illinois Farmer : I am entirely without 

 experience in newspaper correspondence, and by 

 no means disposed to take up the cudgel with your 

 correspondent, Mr. R. Prince, for in such au en- 

 counter I could only hope to escape by my feeble- 

 ness ; but as all people err at times; I did not know 

 but it might be probable that he had done so in 

 an article in your December number. 



"Large Early York and George the Fourth 

 peaches are identical," says Mr. Prince. This may 

 be true, but we have down in this section of Egypt 

 two distinct varieties under these names. The 

 Large Early York is the most reliable and best 

 market peach we have, taking all things into con- 

 sideration. It is hardy, early, and of fine size and 

 appearance, and excellent flavor. The George the 

 Fourth is later by two weeks, smaller size and not 

 so hardy. Our varieties were originally procured 

 from reliable Eastern nursuries, and as they have 

 been received from different parties and always 

 correspond, I am forced to the conclusion that 

 though Mr. Prince may know of but the one varie- 

 ty under the two names, we Western fruit growers 

 as well as Eastern tree growers, know, and culti- 

 vate and sell two sorts. 



Mr. Prince also places the Early Crawford as in- 

 ferior to the Bergen Yellow. 



This matter of inferiority is perhaps a mere dif- 

 ference of taste ; but, as market growers, we are 

 compelled to cater to public demand. 



The two peaches are entirely distinct in charac- 

 ter, having no real resemblance save only in color. 



The Crawford is earlier and more showy, flavor 

 spicy, acid and very juicy. 



Bergen's Yellow later and of a peculiar flavor, un- 

 like any other, much less juicy than the Crawford. 

 I should, however, state that the Crawford is one of 

 the tender varieties, while the Bergon Yellew is 

 ranked among the hardy sorts. Few, very few would 

 give the palm of excellence to the Bergen Yellow, 

 over the Crawford. 



It will be remembered however, that I am speak- 

 ing only for these fruits as grown out West in 

 "Egypt." 



I very much doubt our Western grown peaches 

 being recognized by our Eastern friends. 



Excuse this, and do not let it crowd out other 

 more valuable matter from your journal. 



J. E. S. 



[We leave this subject to the contending parties, 

 both of whom are well posted in their respective 

 sections. — Ed.] 



White Willow. 



Flushing, Feb. 21, '63. 

 M. L. Dunlap, Sir : I notice a discussion as ta 

 the correct name of the Willow you are now plant- 

 ing so extensively in Illinois. It is the Salix Al- 

 ba OR White Willow of Europe, often called in 

 England, the Huntington or Licolnshire Willow. 

 It there attains to the height of 45 to 55 feet. Six- 

 ty years ago there stood a tree of this species on 

 high ground near one of the entrances to the 

 grounds of my grandfather, William Prince, which 

 was then fully 50 feet in height, and 1 J feet in 

 diamater. In all the earlier catalogues, it was call- 

 ed Upright Green Willow to distinguish it from 

 the Weeping Gi-een and the Upright Golden Wil- 

 low. There also was at that period and until about 

 twelve years since, a row of equally lofty trees of 

 this species on my grandfather's grounds, located 

 along Flushing Bay, in a position where the high- 

 est tides flowed above them, showing thereby that 

 an occasional flooding with salt water would not 

 injure them. I have often seen the Upright Gold- 

 en Willow flourishing in similar positions. The 

 Salix Alba forming a beautiful branching tree ter- 

 minating in a tapering head, which has caused it to 

 receive the appellation in Europe of "Swallow- 

 tailed Willow." It is exceedingly robest and hardy 

 and of very vigorous growth. It is planted by the 

 road sides in Sweden, Denmark, some parts of 

 Germany, in Southern Russia and in portions of 

 France and Italy, and in these positions, the trees 

 are treated as pollards, the head being cut off and 

 the shoots which spring up from the base being 

 cut every second or third year to be used for fuel, 

 poles, &c. As a timber tree it yields a great bulk 

 in a short time, and although it succeeds in a dry 

 soil better than most other "Willows, it will pro- 

 duce more gi'owth where the • soil is retentive of 

 moisture. The wood is light and tender, but of a 

 finer grain than Poplars possess. The cause of this 

 tree succeeding so well in Illinois, where so many 

 others perish, is to be solely attributed to the fact 

 that your soil so retentive of mosture, suits it well 

 and as it strikes its main roots very quickly far 

 deeper than the points to which the soil becomes 

 frozen during winter, the' principal roots from 

 which the tree derives its maximum of nutriment, 

 are never affected or in any material degree injur- 

 ed. I greatly desire that some of onr Californian 

 adventurers who may traverse Mexico when going 

 here, or on their return as I did, would bring home 

 scions of the most beautiful Spiral Willows which 

 border many of the mighty avenues leading from 

 that city to the adjacent villages. It is unlike all 

 others which I have ever seen, and every observer 

 would at a short distance declare them to be Lom- 



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