, 1873-12-12
Eighteenth Annual Meeting Of tho
Illinois State Horticultural
Society.
Timber.P Planting and Rainfall Variation
from Parental Form in vege-
table Life.
Legislative Reorganization of tho
.Bul-Variation.
Dedication Of the Maln Building Of tho
Industrial University.

Industrial University.
SECOND DAP.
From Our dyricaurai Correspondent.
CHAMPAIGN, ILL.,. Dec. 10, 1879.
Tho Society uc.,-presidont Dunlap In the
1hnir.
menbur.
Mr.. Humphreys Of Knox County. read pa
per Oh tho subject Of
T1MnEn-pLANT1No.
Hr. II, thinks TINT tho Government will DO
compelled to como to our aid In the OH.
oouragonlent Of trcc-pMutiug. Ho gives uB the
startling intollgcnoo TINT our supply
OF timber will bo exhausted within tho
next ton yoara, and It will become our
duty to plant forests for tic demands Of tic
establish Department Of Forestry, and give
tliB industry now impetus, somowhat in ac-
:orisrco with tho demand.
Prof. Riley protested against these essays on
,rce-planting. This is bu! Que side. The pre-
alction of tho tcn years. failuro las not proved
true, and lie would call attention to the fact TINT
Illinois had to-day moro torosta than IL Ind
swonty years ago. He olaimcd thnt culture In
lucea moisture in tho soil, a1ld denied the Charge
that thc cutting down Of {orcsts lcssencd tile
rainfull. lie would encourage forest-troc-plant-
ing. but not for tho reason stated in tho essay.
Mr.. Green took exception to tho poAtion
pf Prof. Riley, and bold Tint tho timber
Eas fast disappearing. and 1t was tin,o
to look for our future supplies.
Tho Mobile l. Ohio Railroad has been tie means
OF denuding the country along the limo Of TINT
road Of its timber. He corrobora.ed his posi-
Lion by facts that hnd come under his obserya-
tou.
MIR. Flagg thought that the rainfall has boon
more unequal. not TINT NO have n less unnual
raln.al but the dvoughts are longer and Tho
periods Of cold moro Intense. tlus injuriously
affecting vegetation.
Prof. Riley contondcd that any ficld.crop
would hnvo tho eame effect on the rainfall ~
that of the forests. Culture aorvos to drain tho
land; it is tho rapid flow Of our streams that
:arries OF tho water In shorter period, and
does not losaon the rainfall.
Mr.. Wior c1aimod that it WAS pasturage that
mado tle climate 10 dry ut present aa compared
to thirty years ago. All the swamps and
wet bottom-lands Ind been go pasturod and OK
posed to. the sunlight that thoy hatf dried up
He donled TINT thclo was less annual rainfall,
Or that tho drouglta wero moro Hoverc, but
claimed that tho wnter ran of In shorter time
pn account of the hard surface, and is absorbed
In tho porous soil of the livor-bottona. Springs
haye not been lost. but their points Of discharge
are lower down, or hid uu(lnr tho surface.
Mr.. McAfeo spoke for half M hour OIL the sub
iect Of RAINFALL contondng that streams, forests,
md sliotor-bel.s attracted tho falling rnin, and
shnt forests received tho gtcater share, and also
Tint folests give of largo amount Of moisture
10 the mir. He cited INSTANCES in tho Rocky
Mountains, on the Missouri md Mississippi
Rivers. whare the timber attracted the rainfall.
Mr. Fla9g cnimed that while the annual rain
fall might be tho same, yet ho was satisfied flat
It foil at longer intervals and ran off 80 rapidly
that It was OF less value, and that, in this respect
the climate had boon changeu by tho hand Of
man. no denied the position Of Prof. Riley,
mohture as the wild vegetation and tho forests.
The discussion waa listened to with doep
interest, and presented many facts OF interest.
An invitation from the Regent to tako part In
the dedication Of tho main building Of the In
duatrial University was accepted.
Prof. H. II. AlcAfee, OF Froeport read paper
Oh Botany and Vegetable Physiology.
VARIATION FROM PARENTAL FORM
in vegetable life was the subject. Thc cnthu-
siast is delighted on the opening Of a now flower
that oilers from The parental form. 1t
ia this TINT rolievos tho floral kingdom
from nlonotony:. and gives it it's groatest value.
Tho cross-breediug aud constant variation giyo
80 much Of now beauty and OF now value, aud
lend to deeper interest III tho subject Of voge-
table growth. Without following III tho develop
uaent theory, yet the essayist mado many :e!ng
arguments iii favor OF his theory Of change in
the nni!lul klngdom. The papor canuot fail to
nttract attention.
LEGISLATIVE RECOGNITION.
Mr.. Groom offered tho following resolution,
which Was passed without diasent
Resolved, That II s the scnso Of this Society thar
tho ralddlycxtendlng horticultural interests Of the
State, which ia now so apparent to require urgu
i e as o soey Scr 9 poa ID
bnrs proposed In tho bill now before them.
Resoired, That tue members Of thia Society. both
10 present the Blbjcct o. the bt to the Legislative
members Of thclr respective districts, in full conf
iIon.
a1r. Humphrey, yice-presiaont for the
T11lnD DISTINCT.
read model report Of tho condition Of 1Iorticul-
:ure in his district. He reports many coutgatc-
tory theories it, regard to tho 1oB6ob Of last
ter. Tho apple crop was light, and many trees
acadi and yet tho Concord grape eayo full
crop; orolla.ls proteoted appear to have suf-
doubt cauaed tho greater part Of tho da1nage
Tho lnck Of ruin Inns been favorable to tho Krape-
crop, but had contrary effect Oh other cropa.
Mr. Francis, Vico-presdont for the
FOURTH DISTRICT,
read 1ia report. lie reports tho most disps-
trouH wiutor OIL fruit TINT has occurred within his
experience. The Delaware grapes wero killed
to the ground; peach orchard killed.; and alt
fruits suffered more or less. Among thGso,
grapes were nearly u failuro. This shows TINT
shocks Of cold arc not unitorm In passing South.
Tho lowest point Of tho mercury at Freeport Inst
wnsor WAS ~ degrees, while in sanga,non
County the samo day 1t was 80 degrees below
zero.
nUn- VARIATION.
MoHars. Wlortor, Flagg, MoAfoo md Prot.
DurrilI took part i'll discussion OH this topic
but thoy could not agree that blld-yariaton WAS
Q fixed fact, though they all conceded that OF
Gowoss and plants.
Mr.. Wior statod tint, In cnltivatng blnokber-s
sics, some Of tho roots produced white fruit,
showing Il blld-yarltion,
N[r. 6ao Foster, of Iowa, suggested that those
variations Of buds might bo duo to external In.
Quence.
Mr. llay, gave several remarkable caaos,-one
IN wlllcl! tho upper pnri Of ? weoping-wllow was
changed to r1ng-wood willow. Probably The
change WIS duo to stroke Of Lightning that in
jured the tree.