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1864 



THE ILLmOIS FARMEE. 



251 



three or four hundred acres. Here high heads are 

 leas objectionable than on the prairie. With him 

 the Baldwin, Rhode I. Greening, and other tender 

 sorts thrive well. ' -c 



The peach orchard is half clover; that is, a 

 strip of clover is sown along the rows of trees and 

 is cut and used for a mulch; while the middle strip 

 is kept, well cultivated. This is a practice highly 

 to be commended and just adapted to our low head 

 theory. The cutting back of the peach should not 

 be overlooked when it will produce the valuable 

 results stated by Mr. Ohatton. 



We shall be pleased to hear from Mr. C. in re* 

 gard to varieties of the apple and peach. — Ed. 



For the Illinois Farmer. 



Yield of Wool. 



Catlw, Vermillion Co., 111., June 8, '64 

 Editor Illinois Farmer — Dear Sir : 



Enclosed you will find a* sample of wool from 

 my Leicester Iambs. I sheared seven head and 

 got seventy-two pounds of such wool as I send 

 you. Yours truly, 



C. L. Pate, 



The sample sent is very long and shows under 

 the microscope good fitting properties. We find 

 the long wool sheep growing in favor with our 

 flock masters. Vermillion county will show some 

 of the best sheep a; the next State Fair. Morgan, 

 DuPage and Sangamon will have to look well to 

 their laurels in this department. — Ed. , 



Illinois State Horticultural Society- 



CIRCULAR No. 1, 1864. 



Office Gorhespondiwo Secretary,) 

 Alton, July 1, 1864. ) 



Dear Sir : — For the purpose of ascertaining the 

 amount of injury done by the cold weather of the 

 past winter, the following queries are proposed to 

 the Horticulturists of Illinois, and answers solici- 

 ted from every section of the State : 



1. Minimum temperature January 1 and 2 ? 



2. Height of barometer ? 



8. Humidity of atmosphere ? 



4. Direction and force of wind ? 



6. Amount of snow ? * 



6. Other meteorlogical conditions ? 



1. Nature of soil where trees, Ac. , were planted ? 



8. Cultivation ? 



9. Elevation? 



10. Exposure? 



11. Amount of crop in 1863 ? 



12. Growth in 1868? 

 18. Pruning in 1863 ? 



14. Apples, hardy varieties? half hardy? tender? 



15 Pears, " 



16. Peaches, " 



IT. Plums, " 



18. Cherries, " 



To the above we answer : No. 1, see weather ta- 

 ble in February No. ; No. 9, 660 feet above the 

 sea; No. 11, good; 12, unusually small ; 13, very 

 trifling ; 14, 15, all in our grounds ; the tender va- 

 rieties have been wed out; 16, badly injured ; 17, 

 fruit killed; 18, May Cherry one-fourth crop, all 

 others killed ; 19, killed tree and fruit ; 20, all in- 

 jured where exposed, and all sound where shelter- 

 ed ; 21, 22, crops unusually abundant ; 23, killed ; 

 24, very fine ; 25, Red and White Cedar, White, 

 Austrian, Norway and Scotch Pines and Balsam, 

 uninjured ; 17, 18 and 19, most varieties more or 

 less damaged. 



We have often stated that all the so-called ten- 

 der varieties of the apple can be grown when 

 sheltered, just as well as in New York or New 

 England. Spice Sweet, one of the most tender 

 when exposed, was uninjured and bearing. One 

 of our neighbors has the Baldwin in full bearing, 

 the trees of which came from New York in the 



fall of 1867. Shelter, not shade, is what we want. 

 —Ed. 



CIRCULAR No. 2, 1864. ;- 



Office Corresponding SkcbetabtJ 

 Alton, Madison Co. 111., July 1, 1864. | 

 Dear Sir : — Desiring to collect facts concern- 

 ing the rise, progress and present condition of 

 Horticulture in Illinois, I submit to your consider- 

 ation the following queries, to which I would ask 

 an early response : ^ {:•;■'■ 



1 . In what year were the firsi fruit trees or or 

 chards planted in your county ? What were the 

 kinds and varieties? Whence brought, and by 

 whom? Their longevity? 



2. In what year was the first nursery estab- 

 lished, and by whom ? The methods of propaga- 

 tion ? The kinds and varieties of fruit trees, &c., 

 disseminated ? 



3. In what year were ornamental trees, shrnbs 

 and plants introduced ? £[ind3 introduced ? Age 

 and size of finest specimens evergreens, &c.? 



4. What is the progress and present condition 

 of Horticulture : the amount of apple, pear, peach, 

 cherry, plum, apricot, nectarine, quince, grape, 

 currant, gooseberry, blackberry and strawberry 

 plants now planted in your county ; the product 

 and general success ? The amo«mt of ornamental 

 and useful trees, hedges, screens, &c., planted ? — 



5. The names and postoffice address of yonr 

 most successful Horticulturists ? y^ - 



Respectfully yours, . - - 



W.C. FLAGG. 



