1864:. 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMEK. 



167 



that the destruction of birds in France has been 

 succeeded by such an increase of injurious insects 

 as to very seriously injure the forest trees, field 

 crops and fruits of that empire and to call for the 

 interposition of government to restore the winged 

 destroyer of insects. The paper was filed for future 

 use. 



GRAPE VINES AA'D GRAPES. 



Dr. Hull introduced specimens of canes, and 

 illustrated his mode of pruning. There are two 

 kinds of buds. The former appear as a very gen- 

 eral rule only on last j-eurs wood, of which, when 

 we come to prune, there should be three canes. 

 Two of these should be cut down t:) two eyes e:ich. 

 The remaining cane which is to bear fruit, should 

 have say 12 buds left upon it, and each of these 

 buds should be permitted to mature about three 

 bunches of fruit, making about 12 pouuds to the 

 vine, formed by the renewal system, and trained 

 to a stake. 



The Doctor objects to the training to horizontal 

 bars, because the upper buds then have much the 

 most vigor, a tendency which can by checked in 

 stake trail. ing by twisting the vine around a stake, 

 whereb}' the fruit buds from top to bottom can be 

 made of equnl vigor. 



Does not pinch in the laterals of the canes for 

 next year's fruit ; and this .spring finds good buds 

 on such laterals where tlie niiiin cane has none. 



Mr. McPike has found the Diana liarder than the 

 Cwtawba. With Mr. Dimniock it is dead. Dela- 

 ware and Clinton quite hardy with Dr. Hull. J. 

 E. Starr has the Rebecca and Herbemont most 

 injured. N. J. Colman finds Hartford Prolific, 

 Clinton, and Ta}dor's Bullit in best condition. 



Dr. Hull thought he would have nearly a full 

 crop. F. Starr, having pruned last fall, no crop. 

 Mr. Newman a full crop on Clinton, and a half 

 crop on Delaware. 



PROSPECTS FOR OTHER FRTJITS. 



Of pears Mr. Colman expects a full crop on as do 

 also Newman, F. Starr and Hull, Curtis a half crop, 

 and Mr. Dinnnock very few. 



Of apples Mr. Colman says the promise is extra- 

 ordinary ; Merriinan very promising; Curtis finds 

 Newton Pippin ready to bear in its ordinarily rest- 

 ing year ; Ikown an ordinary crop; Hull and J. 

 E. Starr full crops. 



Of peaches there is no promise from any one of 

 the members. The destruction has been, as nearly 

 as may be thorough. — Orchards are reported in 

 bloom in Jackson county on the river, and there 

 are reports of living buds at St. Joseph, Michigan. 



CONDITION OF PEACH TRfeES. 



Dr. Hull apprehends no danger so long as the 

 bark does not separate from the wood. Mr. Dim- 

 mock has had two late Crawf»rd's killed, between 

 which an Early Crawford is left unhurt. McPike 

 has an Early Crawford on a southern slope badly 

 killed. Mr. Colman believes trees have passed 

 through the winter of 1855 6, will be finished by 

 the last. A gentleman of his acquaintance in 1856 

 pruned one orchard in February, and the other in 

 May, and the latter succeeded much the best. 

 Hence would prune the winter-injured peach in 

 full leaf. Dr Hull finds the Large Early York and 

 George the lY among the hardiest trees. Colman 



called attention to the fact that there were plenty 

 of seedling peaches in 1856. J. E. Starr has lost 

 seedling trees as much or more than any this year. 

 Early Tillotson the most injured of any budded 

 variety. Colman thinks that large blossoms on 

 tlie peach are less liable to injury than others. 

 Riehl has noticed, however, that the Heath, a hardy 

 peach, has small blossoms; but this may be owing 

 to its earliness. Hull believed the preservation 

 due to carbonic acid gas in the flower. Had seen 

 peaches in bloom endure a cold of 8 ^ above zero. 



CLOVER IS ORCHARDS. 



Was briefly discussed. Colman believes in sow- 

 ing clover five or six years after the trees are 

 plimted and fairly established, and that is Dr. War- 

 der's view ; but John J. Thomas is strongly against 

 it. Merriman has found clover a great protection 



from bruising to the 



falling fruit. 



FRUIT, &C., ON EXHIBITION. 



The fruit committee reported on exhibition a 

 speciman of Catawba wine, from F. Dames, of 

 Weilsburg, St. Charles county, Mo; considered 

 very fine ; a bright red, medium sized, sweetish 

 apple, of good qualitj', presented by S. B. Johnson, 

 for iiame;n)t recognized. Pryor's Red and Gil- 

 pin, presented by W. 0. Flagg ; the former past 

 its season, but still palatable. , , 



TO FRIGHTEN BIP.DS FROM CHERRIES. )( 



Mr. McPike s.iys suspend a horizontal cross of 

 wood in the centre of the tree by white twine lead- 

 ing from the top of the tree exteriorily to the ends 

 of the cross. No bird will risk his person inside. 



The Standing Committees were increased by 

 appointing one on Entomology, consisting of F. 

 Starr, Huggins, Riehl, F. Curtis and Flagg, and 

 one on Ornithology, consisting of Colman, Johnson, 

 Bowman, Schweppe and Dimmock. 



The Secretary was instructed to procure a micro- 

 scope for the use of the Society. 



Mr. Newman having called attention to the fact 

 that the meetings were becoming too large for all 

 to profitably engage in the discussions, the com- 

 mittee on Tree Plants and Flowers were instructed 

 to inquire into the expediency of holding a floral 

 exhibition at the next meeting and to solicit the 

 aid of the ladies of the Society in carrying out anv 

 plan that may be decided upon. The committee 

 having consulted together reported that such exhi- 

 bition would be held. The President exhorted all 

 members to bring in specimens of flowers and early 

 fruits : 



Mr. Newman was appointed the Essayist for 

 June. 



Adjourned, to meet at Jas. E. Starr's, on Friday 

 June 3rd, at 10 o'clock a. m. An effort will be 

 made to charter a small steamboat, which will 

 make the trip from Alton to Mr. Starr's and back, 

 touching perhaps at one point near Dr. Hull's. 



The elegant collation provided by the hospitality 

 of Mrs. Brown, was then discussed in committee of 

 the whole with singular unanimity and satisfaction. 

 All appeared to be animated by a common impulse ; 

 and the previous feast of reason did not seem to 

 at all blunt the carnal appetite of any. 



A portion of the afternoon was spent in the in- 

 spection of the garden orchard and fields of Mr. 

 Brown. His farm consists of seventy-eight acres, 



