Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1878 [PAGE 235]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

235

MIMOSA, Sensitive Plant, a n n u a l . pudica, cultivated for ornament, from South America. SCHRANKIA, Sensitive Brier, a n n u a l . u n c i n a t a , native, V a s e v . DESMANTHUS, herbs. brachylobus, native, Lapham,

R O S A C E A — R O S E FAMILY.

PRUNUS, Almond, Peach, Apricot, Plum, Cherry. (Amygdalus) nana, Dwarf or Flowering Almond, cultivated for o r n a m e n t from Asia. (Amygdalus) communis, Common Almond, the hard-shelled varieties are nearly as hardy as the peach, and produces n u t s certainly as far n o r t h as 39 deg. in Illinois. Cultivated from Asia, and according to Darwin (see animals and plants u n d e r domestication, vol. 1, page 406) and others, is probably the p a r e n t of the peach. (Amygdalus) persica, Peach, cultivated from Asia for its fruit and for ornament. Its native c o u n t r y is supposed to be China or J a p a n , and it is mentioned by Confucius in t h e t e n t h c e n t u r y before Christ. No wild type of it can be found, and it seems doubtful whether in t h e early p a r t of the historical period it produced an edible fruit, and probable t h a t it was cultivated for its o r n a m e n t a l blossoms r a t h e r t h a n its fruit. It is now in general cultivation in nearly all p a r t s of t h e world suitable for its growth. In Illinois, in the early settlement of the countrv, it was stated t h a t the peach was grown, with considerable success, to t h e n o r t h e r n line of t h e state, and it is by no means uncommon when a succession of t r e e s is k e p t u p to secure a crop now as often as once in t h r e e y e a r s . The increased e x t r e m e s of climate t h a t seem to result from cultivation, and t h e consequent denundation of t h e surface of t h e country, have made the fruiting and even t h e life of the t r e e s more precarious and only those more fond of t h e fruit, or persistent of success continue to plant trees. var. laevis, Nectarine, is a variety of t h e peach with smooth skin and peculiar flavor. armeniaca, Apricot, cultivated from Amenia for its fruit, and certain varieties for orn a m e n t . It is much less grown t h a n it deserves to be, considering t h a t t h e t r e e is as hardy and hardier t h a n t h e peach, and t h e blossoms and buds n o t m u c h m o r e commonly killed. domestica, Garden Plum, cultivated from Europe or Asia for its fruit. There are also ornamental varieties. insititia, Bullace Plum, cultivated from E u r o p e as a stock. Ornamental varieties. spinosa, Sloe or Blackthorn—the supposed original of t h e two last, and like them, cultivated from Europe. I t has ornamental varieties, highly prized in China and J a p a n , Loudon. americana, Wild Bed and Yellow Plum, native in most p a r t s of t h e State. The h a r diest of all plums, and more or less cultivated. Promises t o become valuable in its selected varieties. chicasa, Chickasaw Plum, native, Lapham, Vasey; and cultivated. This is the p a r e n t of t h e Wild Goose, Miner and other varieties. I t is not e x e m p t from the att a c k of the curculio, b u t is less injured by t h e m t h a n are t h e varieties of the garden p l u m . cerasus, Garden Bed Cherry, cultivated from E u r o p e for its fruit, of which t h e Morello and Early Richmond are varieties. These succeed u p o n our prairie soils mainly, I believe, because they have more spreading roots and do not strike into t h e sub-soil so deeply and grow less rapidly t h a n t h e sweet cherries. avium, Bird Cherry of Europe, cultivated from E u r o p e for fruit, and o r n a m e n t in the double-flowered varieties. The progeniter of the sweet cherries and perhaps of the last n a m e d . The finer cherries t h a t come u n d e r this class very generally fail on t h e rich prairie soils, and succeed best in the loose soil ©f t h e river bluffs of t h e Mississippi and Illinois. pennsylvanica, Wild Bed Cherry, native only in t h e north, says Dr. Vasey ; b u t I find it noted as in Wabash county. This is probably a mistake. The only wild cherry on which t a m e varieties will ' ' t a k e . ' ' pumila, Dwarf Cherry, native, Vasey ; Cook county, Babcock. This variety is recommended for trial u n d e r cultivation, by Fuller. Described and figured in the Agricultural D e p a r t m e n t report for 1870 as a plum used by t h e Indians of t h e southwest for food. In t h e r e p o r t of the American Pomological society for JL873, t h e r e is described as existing in U t a h " a new hybrid cherry (a cross between the wild p l u m and U t a h sand cherry), ' ' which may be an improved variety. serotina, Wild Black Cherry, native in many counties—Cook, Hancock, Wabash, Champaign, e t c . , and probably throughout the state. Cultivated for ornament, and valuable for lumber. virginiana, Choke Cherry, native, L a p h a m ; Cook county, Babcock ; Champaign county, M a c a u l e y ; Wabash county, Ridgeway ; Fulton county, Wolf. padus, Small Bird Cherry of Europe. Sometimes cultivated. SPIR.<EA, Meadow Sweet, H a r d y shrubs or perennial herbs. Ornamental. Great v a r i e t y . opulifolia, Nine Bark, native, L a p h a m ; Cook county, Babcock. salicifolia, Common Meadow Sweet, native, L a p h a m ; Cook county, B a b c o c k ; St.Clair county, Brendel. tomentosa, Hardhack or Steeplebush, native, L a p h a m ; Cook county, Babcock. douglasii, cultivated for o r n a m e n t from Oregon. callosa, cultivated from J a p a n . ariasfolia, cultivated from Oregon. bella, cultivated from Nepal. chamsedrifolia, cultivated from Europe and Siberia.