Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1878 [PAGE 266]

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Year. 1850., I860.. 1870.. Hops, pounds Hops, p o u n d s Hops, pounds

Production. i

United States. 3,497,029 10,991,996 25,456,669

Illinois. 3,551 7,254 104,032

New York and Wisconsin produced nearly all of t h e crop of 1870. Boone, DeKaib and McH e n r y were t h e leading Illinois counties. PLATAXACE^E—PLAXE TREE FAMILY.

P L AT ANUS, Plane Tree. occidentalis, American Plane Tree, Sycamore or Buttonwood, native, L a p h a m . Seems to he found in nearly every county in Illinois. Cultivated somewhat for o r n a m e n t and its timber is used in m a k i n g boxes,for plug tobacco, e t c . I t is t h e largest t r e e of o u r Mississippi valley forests. Mr. Ridge way, of Mt. Garmel, r e p o r t s one 168 feet high, with 68 feet length of t r u n k and a circumference of 33l/3 feet. Prof. Swallow measured 44 an old s t u b " in Mississippi county, Missouri, 65 feet high and 43 feet in circumference, with a hollow 15H feet in one direction and 13 feet in another. Another t r e e in Howard county measured 125 feet high a n d 31H feet in circumference. Downing gives some 3till larger m e a s u r e m e n t s in his landscape gardening. orientalis, Oriental Plane,. Cultivated from Asia for ornament, especially Yar acerfolia.

J U G L A X D A C E ^ E — W A X X U T FAMILY.

JUGLANS, Walnut. cinerea, JButternut or White Walnut, native, Lapham, a n d noted in t w e n t y counties by t h e geological report—probably in ail of t h e m . Cultivated a little for ornament, mits a n d timber. Bryant says its n u t s improve by cultivation. nigra. Black Walnut, native, Lapham, a n d still more common than t h e b u t t e r n u t . One of t h e most easily propagated and valuable timber trees, promising t o be valuable for i t s fruit, as t h e n u t s become improved through selection. Mr. Ridgeway measured a t r e e n e a r Mt. Carmel 120 feet high, with 60 feet t r u n k and 22 feet circumference. Prof. Swallow found one in Benton county, Missouri, 22 feet in circumference a n d 110 feet high. regia, English or European Walnut, cultivated from Asia. " T h e t r e e is r a t h e r impatient of t h e climate in t h e r u r a l districts of Pennsylvania, b u t does very well i n t h e shelter afforded by o u r cities and large t o w n s . " - - D a r l i n g t o n . The t r e e is n o t h a r d y in northern Illinois, and it is doubtful if it would succeed in t h e central p a r t s of t h e s t a t e . " — B r y a n t . k ' I know of no success as f a r south as A l t o n . " — Flagg. CARYA, Hickory. olivasformis, Pecan Nut. n a t i v e south, L a p h a m . I have notes of its growing in Randolph, St. Clair, Madison, Hancock, Pulaski, Massac, Pope, Alexander, Union, Jackson, Jersey, Schuyler, Fulton, Henderson, Peoria, Menard. This would c a r r y it as f a r n o r t h as 41 degrees on t h e rivers Mississippi, and Illinois, b u t does n o t show it t o extend far east of t h e last mentioned s t r e a m . Bryant says it is found as f a r n o r t h as 42 degrees on t h e Mississippi, and Woodford county on t h e Illinois. We m a y conclude t h a t on proper soils it may be cultivated t h r o u g h o u t t h e state, and t h e high value of t h e n u t s m a k e cultivation and improvement only a question of t i m e . Natural groves of i t in Madison, St. U a i r a n d Randolph a r e already carefullv fenced and guarded. Mr. Ridgeway measured one n e a r Mt. Carmel 175 foet high, with a t r u n k 90 feet a n d i t s circumference 16. Prof. Swallow describes one in Mississippi county, Missouri, 130 feet high, 10 feet to a ltmb, and 18 feet in girth. I t is one of t h e largest forest t r e e s . alba, Shell-bark or Shag-hark Hickory, native, Lapham. Found, I p r e s u m e , in every county, and coming into cultivation. Varies a good deal in its fruit, so t h a t t h e selection of large, thin-shelled n u t s and propagating from t h e t r e e s t h a t b e a r t h e m , will improve t h e cultivated sorts. I t is one of t h e most valuable of t h e hickories for timber, and n o t surpassed by any other t r e e for f u e l . " — B r y a n t . sulcata, Western Shell-hark, native, Lapham, Vasey. This is t h e species with t h e very large n u t and resembling t h e shell-bark in its general appearance, and t h e pecan in its love of deep, rich soils and great size. It is either n o t common o r t h e botanists a r e afraid t o commit themselves, for I find only one habital ( F u l f i l county) named in t h e books. I t is found in Madison, a n d I p r e s u m e a g r e a t share of the river counties. Champaign county. tomentosa, Mocker-nut, White Heart HUikory. Perhaps confused with last; native, Lapham, Vasey. I t seems t o be a s o u t h e r n r a t h e r t h a n a n o r t h e r n tree, a n d is t h e