Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-06-03
GQOrtestfr Daily Spp.
From the Prairie Farmer.
EARLY SETTLEMENT, FRUIT, &C., IN Full
TON COUNTY, ILLINOIS


Editors Prairie FUmer:-In the month of
March, 1919, John Eveand and family made
the first settlement in this county, near the
mouth of Spoon River Soon after, settle
ment was made at Lewiston and by the year
1922 several families had settled as far north
as Canton. In 1925 the first peaches were
eaten that grew in this neighb orhOod. The
trees continued to bear abundant crops from
that time up to the hard winter, as it is called,
of 1872, when the trees were all killed to the
ground. This we learned from those who
made the first settlement
In the fall of 1884 my father and his family
emigrated from Ohio to this county. The en-
suing winter he bought farm that had been
improved since the year 1922. There were
on it at the time OF purchase about one hun
dred bearing apple trees, the stumps of over
one hundred peach trees that had been cut
down, about fifty peach trees that had grown
since the hard winter, and half dozen red
Morello cherry trees, twelve years old.
For ten years in succession our apple trees
produced abundant crops; during this time,
there were two almost entire failures of fruit
in the middle part of the Western States. We
then had two partial failures occasioned by
late vernal trosts. Sheltered situations along
the timber suffered most, while trees on the
open prairie, and especially those on elevated
ground, came through safe Then high and
asked a nurseryman or fruit grower his
opinion about locations, the advice would
almost invariably have been to plant on ell
evated ground, where the wind had free
circulation from every direction; and for the
proof of the assertion they would cite you the
fact, that orchards exposed to the almost con-
slant wind of the lakes seldom ever failed
while those few miles back surrounded with
heavy timber where the air could not circu-
lqtp NVnr frauuauflxy ad rJc
were planted in this neighborhood from a nur
sery raised on the farm on which we settled
they were planted about the year 1888 they
are quite healthy considering the treatment
they have received, and suffered much less
from the effects of the hard winters that we
have passed through than orchards Of later
planting.
Pears have been planted, but have amount
ed to nothing out of many hundreds planted
years ago, very few living trees can be found.
know of four trees that are about twenty
years old, that are free from blight and look
very healthy they stand in a door yard where
the ground is tramped quite hard around them
l do not know what variety they are Of and
think they have borne but little fruit the soil
on which they grow is what is termed here
white oak barrens
Peach trees produced good crops of fruit
about every other year from 1884 to 1912 the
winter of 1923 killed all the trees In 1850,
we had very fine crop and in 1851 fair
supply. Since then we have had neither trees
or peaches.
PllYms were very plenty in the first settle
ment OF the country, seldom if ever falling; but
of late they are quite uncertain. In 1855 we
had plumS on the upland, and i'll 1867 there
were beautiful crops wherever treeswere large
enough to bear. We have fine wild plums
here, some large and Of good flavor, and well
of wi 10 ata6
varieties do nothing.
Blackberres were so plenty i'll the first set
Element of the country that hundreds OF BUSH
els rotted every year for want of people to
gather them. To those coming into the conn
try at a later period, and those living in other
parts of the country, this may seem rather a
hard stretch. But if they will reflect for
moment, that the great belt of timber stretch
ing along the northwest side of the Illinois riv-
er, from few miles of Peoria to the mouth.
over a hundred miles long and from five to
ten miles wide, was one almost continuous
blackberry patch, interspersed with lonely
cabins. Their inmates probably could have
loaded team from bushes bending to the
ground with as delicious food as mortals need
crave, without going out of sight of their
homes. They will see that the assertion
would be in bounds if it was multiplied by
ten. 1t is quite common nowadays to see
whole families go with their teams, spend a
whole day and come back at night tired and
Scorched with an August sun, with few
quarts Of half-ripe berries. If the same exer-
ton and labor were put forth TO raise that
there is to hunt up the few scattering berries
that are left in the country, most of us would
have plenty of this delicious fruit growing at
our homes. The first settlers had plenty of
strawberries for gathering them in their sea.
son, but they, like the blackberry, had to give
WaV 70 the heavy tread nf Our domestic ami
mails.
Cherries have not done well here. They
have not produced over four or five good
crops in twenty five years. Propagation APP.
pears to be their great propensity hundreds
of cons would grow up every year from their
roots This being the great resort Of the first
settlers of the country north and west from
here to procure grain, most every one that
came would take some cions home with them,
and by the middle of April every cion would
be taken. The next summer they would come
up more numerous than ever they in turn
would be taken the next spring. Thus from
the roots of few trees, planted by the first
settlers, this almost worthless variety has been
spread over the country north to Rock river,
and west far into Iowa. We have variety
somewhat disseminated over this country I'M
der the name of May cherry the tree is of
rather dwarf habit, perfectly hardy and reg
ular bearer. If this variety had been planted
in the early settling Of the country to the same
extent of the red Morello, we would have fair
supply of this beautiful little fruit in its season.
The Heart and Bigarreau varieties are Of less
value than the red Morello, seldom ever living
long enough to made shade, for which the
latter is quite famous.
My business for some ten years past has
called me in all parts ofthe country, and most
ly among the farmers. Since the hard winter
of 1866 have made it a special business
wherever l have been, to examine orchards,
to ascertain the influence of position, soil, shell
ter &C., on fruit trees But, for fear this arti-
Gle becomes too lengthy, will reserve the re-
suit of my observations and the present condi-
ton of orchards in this county for a future pa
per. ID. +. EMERY.
SoILING CATTLE.-Josiah Quincy, in q