260 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER, 



Sept. 



an admirable study for the pomologist as well 

 an as attractive display to the lover of the beauti- 

 ful. 



The usual facilities in the way of half-price tick- 

 ets and reduced rate of expressage will be granted 

 by most of the railroads. 



It has been the boast of the fraternity, that 

 amid the distracting and absorbing events of the 

 rebellion, horticulturists have retained beyond 

 other classes an interest in their wonted pursuits ; 

 and have practiced their usual arts of peace on the 

 very verge of civil war. The fact itself is an elo" 

 quent eulogy upon the delighta of horticulture ; 

 and furnishes at once a reason and expectation 

 that they will come out in their annual festival, in 

 in the golden days of autumn. The season of the 

 year , the'scenery of the rock river valley, will be 

 alike propitious for gala days of fiodal intercourse 

 and mutual instrtruction, among the doctors and 

 disiples of horticulture. 



EAening discussions will be held in the city and 



an eddress is expected from Dr. John A. "Warder, 



of Cincinnati. 



"W. C. Flacg, 



Corresponding Secretary. 



Alton, III., August 1st, 1863. 



IB> 



Alton Horticulttiral Society, 



The Alton Horticultural Society held one of its 

 meetings, July 11th, for the purpose of discussing 

 early fruits, which, at that time, had just begun to 

 reach the market. It is interesting to know the 

 season at which fiuits ripen as well as their re- 

 spective values. 



W. T. Miller, Chairman of Fruit Committee* 

 made the following report of fruits — on the table 

 — brought in by members : 



Dr. B. F. Long — Red Astrachan, Early Harvest, 

 Red June, White June, Madeline Pear. 



"W. C. Flagg-— Early Harvest, Red June, Kirk- 

 bridge White, Early Strawberry, Shine-qua-non, 

 Large Early Bough. 



A. Starr — Red June, Summer Rose, Hemskirke, 

 Apricott. 



J. Huggins — Sops of Wine, Sweet June. 



E. Penuock — Hocking. 



A. S. Redfield — Early Harvest, Red June, Red 

 Astra ch an. 



Geo. Booth — Keswick Codlin, Cherry Currant, 

 Lawton Blackberry, and two monstrous Onions, 

 2 years old, grown Irom sets. 



Geo. Barry — Lawto» Blackberry, Purple and 

 Early Golden Apricots, Madeline and Doyenne 'd 

 Ete Pears. 



The display was very fine. Some of the speei- 

 , ;jens were hard to beat. 

 ;_.The discussion was opened by taking up the 

 iilarly Harvest as first on the list. 



-Mr. Flagg — Considers it the best early apple — 

 has picked them on the 26th of June — ^thinks it is 

 moce liable to sun scald than other varieties, beat 



remedy for it is low heads. There is danger o 

 injuring the tsees by pickers standing on the limbs 

 with thick boots — better use ladders as much aa 

 possible. 



Dr. Long — ^What kind of a ladder do you gener 

 ally «8e ? 



Mr. Flagg — A modification of one described in 

 Thomas' Fruit Book — sides joined at the top, and 

 and spreading at the bottom, the shape of an in- 

 inverted V. Last year I picked Early Harvest on 

 the 8th of July ; Red June the 12th ; Early Straw- 

 berry the lYth ; Sine-qua-non the 18th ; Kirk- 

 feridge White the 24th. 



Mr. Huggins — Thinks the Early Harvest more 

 valuable than any other early variety ; is not a No. 

 1 bearer ; is full every other year ; uses a common 

 step ladder in picking. Mine are very scabby this 

 year ; do not think the trees more liable to scald 

 than others ; they are not as healthy rs some vari- 

 eties ; better budded high than root grafted. 



Mr. Redfield — They form bad heads naturally ; 

 they can, however, be remedied by judicious prun- 

 ing. 



Mr. Starr — B^ars every other year with me; 

 have only one large tree. Have about 20 planted 

 six years . will not get more than a bushel from 

 the whole of them. 



Mr. Huggins — My young trees, planted five years 

 are full. 



Dr. Dong — Is No. 1 for profit — better pick in 

 different seasons, say from 26th of June to 10th of 

 July. 



Mr. Redfield — There is an apple cultivated in 

 Missouri called Yellow June — not quite as large as 

 Early Harvest, which is ripe and gone as soon as 

 they commence. 



Mr. Flagg — Finds th^n healthier and to bear 

 better in the shade of other trees. 



EED JUNE. 



Mr. Huggins — Bears very early with me ; have 

 trees planted three years, that are full. Trees 

 vero healthy — ^fruit has been very scabby for two 

 or three years. 



Mr. Miller — Thinks high cultivation will obviate 

 the difficulty.' 



Dr. Long — I am trying a series of experiments 

 this year ; think keeping the branches well thinn- 

 ed wiH help the matter. 



Mr. Huggins — I always find the trees more lia- 

 ble to be troubled with the borer, than other vari- 

 eties. 



Mr. Miller — Would plant his trees forty feet 

 apart. 



Mr. Huggins — My first orchard was set out 82 

 feet apart. Plant closer every year. 



Dr. Long — I plant thirty-three feet apart ; think 

 it just right 



Mr. Starr — Does not plant his trees over twenty 

 five feet. 



Dr. Long — ^Thinks Red June best for family use 

 — ^have made more from Junes than from Harvests 

 — though they have been poor for the last two or 

 three years. 



WHITE JTTNE. 



Mr. Flagg — ^I object to the name ; it is not found 

 in any of the fruit books — think it is the same as 

 Kirkbridge White, of Downing. It is one of the 

 most profitable apples with me — think the quality 

 much better than the Red June. The trees are 



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