Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1880 [PAGE 211]

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209 EEPOET FROM HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

Dr. J. M. Gregory, Regent Illinois Industrial University: I respectfully submit the following report for the year 1879 from the Horticultural department: Upon the whole, the year has been a favorable one, and progress has been made, though it is well known to you that the fruit crops of the vicinity and country were comparatively light. Not more than one-half the amount produced last year in our State was gathered this year. This is the "off" year for the orchards, and the very dry weather in May severely pinched the small fruits. Concord grapes, with us, yielded a full crop, of excellent quality. A number of pear trees fruited, the first produced upon trees planted by the University. A summary of the record of the

EXPERIMENTAL APPLE ORCHARD

is presented here, believing it to be of interest. Fruit was gathered, and a record made of four hundred and seven (407) varieties. A few of the earliest kinds were missed, owing to the presure of other labors and the propensity of visitors, etc., to help themselves. Taken together, the apples were smoother and better than they have been in any preceding year. Though the quantity upon each tree was usually small, the total amount was greater than heretofore in any one year. The trees, too, with one exception, to be hereafter noticed, are apparently in better condition than for several years back. Whether any one kind not usually cultivated will prove better than those commonly grown in the vicinity cannot-yet be determined; but this year's fruiting gave much more promise than heretofore of several valuable new kinds. South of the avenue, fruit was gathered from 233 kinds. Of these, 109, or 80 per cent., bore but few apples; 19, or 14 per cent., bore what we called an average crop for the size of the tree; and 9, or 6per cent., were as heavily laden as the trees ought ever to be. tOf the above, as a whole, 38, or 25 per cent., ripened their fruit in October or before; while 114, or 75 per cent., were shown to be later varieties. In quality, 3 kinds, or 2 per cent.,' were accounted worthless; 49, or 36 per cent., were graded only fair (averaging equal to Ben Davis), and 84, or 62 per cent., as good as the average of the popular kinds. A few of these rank very high in flavor and richness. 23, or 10 per cent., were believed not to be true to name. North of the avenue, records were made of the fruit from 184 varieties. In regard to the amount of fruit produced by these, 121, or 86 per cent., bore only a few apples; 15, or 10 per cent., had average crops; and 5, or 4 per cent, were very full. In quality, 2 were worthless; 97, or 65 per cent., fair; and 51, or 34 per cent., very good, In season, 33, or 34 per cent., matured in October or earlier, and 62, or 66 per cent., at later times. The very warm weather of October caused good winter fruit to ripen prematurely, so that the test this year as to the very long keepers cannot be satisfactory. Other things have also prevented proper tests in this respect. In this portion of the orchard, 21, or 9 per cent., are not considered true to the name they bear in the books of record, Taking the whole orchard together, the following percentages are made from the fruiting trees, the size of the trees being considered: Bearing only a few apples, 82 per cent. Bearing an average crop, 12 per cent. Bearing a large crop, 6 per cent. Ripening in October or earlier, 29 per cent. Ripening later than November 1, 71 per cent. Following the winter of 1876-7, quite a number of trees died or showed signs of severe injury, and the same difficulty has shown itself to a less extent this season. In the country at large, it appears this trouble is much more prevalent than has ever heretofore been reported, and, from my investigations, proves to be the same as witnessed now and previously in the University orchard. Apple trees are subject to very many diseases, and injuries and death or unhealthiness results from many causes, requiring careful examination and accurate knowledge to determine. In this case, the injury is confined to the trunk above the surface of the ground, usually extending upward not more than one foot, but sometimes reaching and even extending over the larger branches. It is not confined to any side, but occurs more often on the Southwest, In early spring, little or no evidence is apparent of injury. The tree puts fortu its leaves as usual, and the setting of fruit is not interfered with. But, by the middle of summer the whole tree looks sickly, and often dies with its leaves and fruit attached or not. The bark of the injured portion is separated from the wood and dies. Sometimes a new bark is formed beneath, and the tree survives. If the part thus affected is not large, little damage is done, and the wound may become entirely covered by a new growth. The cause is the freezing of the trunk when in peculiar conditions as to the abundance and fluidity of the sap. The injury is thus a mechanical one, and is attended with precisely the same phenomena as when such a wound is made by man. We have noticed that trees of the same variety are usually similarly affected. In the country at large it is the Rawles Genet this year of which there is the most complaint, yet this has usually been considered hardy. So some of the new kinds in the University orchard thus injured need not be discarded on this account. The committee of the Trustees, to whom was referred the planting of a new orchard of well proved varieties, decided last year that it was not desirable; but there seems to me to be so much need of at least a few of such trees in some convenient location for observation and experiment that I again respectfully ask attention to the subject. There are

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