Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1868 [PAGE 277]

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The best peaches we have seen are: Stump the world, Heath, early Crawford, late old Mixon. W. A. Allen.—Have preferred for winter varieties, bellflower, jeneting, pennock and English russet. Pruning time—whenever your saw or hatchet is sharpest. S. JP. JBoardman.—All reading farmers who do not make the growing of fruits a specialty, go to the Transactions of our Illinois Horticultural Society for lists and varieties of the different fruits which are best adapted to their latitude and soil. In no other state in the Union, perhaps, does it make so much difference—from north to south, and on different soils—what selection of fruits is planted. With our various live local horticultural societies, so ably seconding our State Society, few of our farmers, even those not professionally fruit growers, can miss it much in varieties of fruits, or their cultivation. I think, from making frequent visits to the eastern States, that Illinois farmers, generally, take a greater interest in, and are better informed on fruit matters generally, than the farmers of any eastern State. I account for it principally from the fact that nearly all of them have had to plant their own orchards. B. Sweet—A reformation in orchards and fruit growing is indispensable to success* As a fruit grower and reformer I exclude all but one variety of apple. What variety is that, for profit ? The winter wine. The next best is a variety that bears a crop annually, is healthy", and does well either by neglect or care ; for it is well known that orchards are usually much neglected. We yet hope for some variety to take undisputed lead, and to that end every pomologist should direct his attention. Plant seed, and from the seedlings select the best; subjecting them to trial as soon as possible, by cutting out buds of seedlings in August or September, and inserting them in the center of bearing trees, where the sap can be driven against them for two years. At the end of this time, they should be bent down in a pendant form to stay the fast rush of sap which will throw it in a slow condition, and favor the formation of fruit buds. Planting; This is of no little importance. To make a healthy orchard of any kind the trees should be selected when not over two years old; seeing to it that you get all the roots; then set out where the ground is in working order, cut back and crowd the culture of said trees. Keep the ground clean by raising a crop of vegetables, which pay their way and are a good substitute until you have fruit. In this way you reap the benefit of your labor, should your trees all be killed. As to locality, the country is generally too flat; so let every one set on his highest ground ; and if it is all low and wet, let him ditch and head up. Pruning: Here volumes might be written, but let it suffice for me to say to the young orchardist, don't prune. Fruit houses: The cheapest and best we have tried are made in this way: Wall two feet thick and filled in with forest leaves raked up in the fall; taking old leaves if necessary and tramping them. It is better to have box doors inside, filled with the same; the outside, common battening. It is all the better, if convenient, to have a long building, and doors at each end, to be opened if necessary. Potatoes are kept in this way better than any other; and both apples and potatoes, mixed with leaves and kept dry, are better. G. W, Vaughan.-*-! have had but little experience in orchard, fruits, but my neighbor, Mr. Freeland, has given his attention exclusively to fruit; and placing

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