History of Bureau County, Illinois, Part 31

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company
Number of Pages: 776

USA > Illinois > Bureau County > History of Bureau County, Illinois > Part 31

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We are indebted to the writings of Ar- thur Bryant, whose work on horticulture deservedly ranks high, for the following facts in reference to Bureau County :

The first attempt at fruit growing in Bu- rean County was in 1830 or 1831, it is not certain which, when John Hull sowed some apple seeds brought from Kentucky, and raised a few hundred seedlings. Small or- chards of these were planted three or four years after by Christopher Corss, John Mus- grove, Roland Moseley and some others. The fruit was better than the average of seedlings, but most of the trees have perished. Nur- serymen have been accused of introducing the apple borer. The orchards above men- tioned, and the nursery from which they were taken were attacked by the insects be- fore fruit trees were brought here from any other part of the country, which would seem to be good evidence of its previous existence in this section.

In the spring of 1833 John Belangee brought a lot of grafted apple trees from Belmont County, Ohio, and commenced a nursery near Princeton. During that and the following year orchards of these trees were planted by Cyrus, Arthur and John H. Bryant, Aaron and William Mercer, and a number of others whose names !are not

recollected. None of these orchards were of any considerable size. At that time and for years after it was a prevalent opinion that it would never be an object to raise apples for market, and it was sometimes remarked when one was seen planting trees, that when those trees came into bearing, apples would not be worth more than a shilling a bushel. Mr. Bellangee introduced some of the best varie- ties now cultivated, as well as many that are rejected. He soon removed to Dover, where he continued the nursery business for ten or fifteen years.

From 1841 to 1844 nurseries were com- menced in Bureau County by James Bosley, Charles S. Boyd and Curtis Williams. Their stock was obtained from Mr. Curtis, a nursery - man in Edgar County. A few good varieties were brought here by them, and many that were worthless. The Milam, under the name of Winter Pearmain, constituted a large pro- portion of their stock-a variety which it was said Mr. Curtis propagated to a considerable extent by means of suckers. Their mode of obtaining suckers for grafting was to cut from trees taken up for sale such roots as were of suitable size-a practice copied from Mr. Cur- tis. Neither of them continued the business more than four or five years.

In 1846 Samuel Edwards commenced a nursery near Lamoille. He brought from near Cincinnati a considerable stock. A great part of it, however, was destroyed dur- ing the winter, which was very fatal to young fruit trees of almost every kind. In 1847 Arthur Bryant began a nursery upon a small scale near Princeton. Since then V. Aldrich, H. W. Bliss and John G. Bubach have estab- lished nurseries in the county; and Mr. Bubach now has a very extensive garden in the east part of Princeton. Bliss and Aldrich discontinued the business some years ago.

The winter of 1855-56 was noted for the

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

wholesale destruction of fruit trees. It was estimated that one-half of the bearing apple trees in Burean County were destroyed or rendered nearly worthless. Most of the pear, plum, peach, quince and cherry trees (Mor- rellos excepted) likewise perished. This for some years greatly discouraged tree planting, especially fruit trees. All the orchards of any considerable size in the county have been planted since the hard winter of 1855-56. At this time (1869) the largest orchards are those of Arthur Bryant, V. Aldrich, Mrs. F. Moseley, J. G. Calef, and M. Greenan. Some years ago J. H. Bryant planted a large pear orchard, but it never amounted to any- thing, and now (1884) the trees are either dead or nearly worthless. It has been chiefly destroyed by fire blight.

Of early apples, Mr. Bryant, in 1869, says: Those principally cultivated are the Early Harvest, Red Astrachan, and Early Pennock -the latter has hitherto been planted more than any other. Trees of this variety, how- ever, appear to become unproductive from age sooner than most others. Maiden's Blush is highly esteemed.

The Snow Apple takes precedence of all others as a hardy, profitable and enduring apple for a fall apple. The Rambo is popular and productive, although less hardy. Haskell Sweet and Rumsdell's Sweet are two of the best fall varieties.

The varieties of winter apples best estab- lished with cultivators are the Jonathan, Willow Twig, and Domine. The Ben Davis has not been cultivated long enough to test its endurance, but already shows signs of deterioration on some of the older trees. Rawles' Janet, so much esteemed in the South, is here considered neither excellent nor profit- able. It is feared that the Winesap, on rich prairie soil, will disappoint the expectation of cultivators. Sweet Vandever and Broad-

well are two of the best winter varieties of sweet apples.

A committee of the State Horticultural Society in 1869 traveled over the important parts of the State. The committee visited Princeton, July 1. From their report we condense the following: "We examined the grounds of John H. Bryant, Arthur Bryant, Sr., and Arthur Bryant, Jr. At John H. Bryant's we were shown a tree of Early Pen- nock, planted in 1836, and afterward top- grafted with Early Harvest, which was thrifty and bearing a good crop. A Pennock root- grafted, planted in 1836, is now twenty-five inches in diameter, and promises to endure many years.

"In the old orchard of Arthur Bryant we had an opportunity of taking notes on a con- siderable number of varieties. Mr. Bryant planted fifty trees in 1836, of which twenty are living and healthy. All these are root grafts. Mr. Bryant gives the following criti- cism: Newtown Pippin worth little; Early Harvest bears well every other year; Hoops of no value; Pennock, a large tree now twenty- four inches, has generally not borne well, but one year produced thirty bushels; Rambo the most profitable variety up to 1856; En- glish Golden Russet of very little value; Maiden's Blush has borne well; Snow (of which Mr. Bryant planted the first tree in Illinois, 1837), is very good; Green Pippin uot productive; Winesap, too small, not profit- able; Early Pennock profitable; Golden Sweet productive.

" In the young orchard of Mr. Bryant were found still other varieties, the favorites being: Jonathan; this keeps here until April or May, although a late fall or early winter apple in southern Illinois; White Pippin good, bears well; Summer Sweet Paradise moderate bearer and fruit excellent; Early Strawberry, except being small, is excellent;

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Haskell's Sweet, a large and productive Sep- tember apple; Whitney's Russet, good; Dan- ver's Winter good, but bears poorly; Tall- man's Sweet, drops badly; Mother, first-rate, bears tolerably; Northern Spy, top-grafted, tolerably good; Striped Gilliflower, showy, not first-rate; Ben Davis bears well. [In the heavy apple-growing district of southern Ill- inois the Ben Davis excels all others for prof- its, as it bears well, trees nearly always full, and keeps well, ships well, and very showy apple that always sells well. Last year (1883) any number of these trees the fruit was sold on the tree for $10 a tree in central Illinois. And often when all other varieties have totally failed there would be a fair crop of the Ben Davis. In flavor it is not one of the best, but for profits it so far excels all other apples in middle and southern Illinois. ]"

In 1859 Mr. Bryant planted 350 trees of Winesaps, Willow Twig, Yellow Bellflower, Jonathan, and Red Astrachan. These were planted in the spring. In the fall of the same year he planted 350 trees, 25x25 feet in a tract of six acres, surrounded by woods. The varieties are Jonathan, Willow Twig, and Ben Davis. The trees are grown with a lead- er and laterals instead of cutting out the cen- ter.

Arthur Bryant, Sr., commenced his nursery about 1845. He regarded himself as a farmer for many years after this, and the nursery business merely an aid in his farming and furnishing employment for his love of trees and flowers. But soon his nursery trade grew to unexpected proportions, and after he had moved it to where his son is now carry- ing on the business in the south part of town ,

his son saw that it was of itself quite busi- ness enough, and now he has one of the most extensive and prosperous nurseries, contain- ing sixty-five acres, crowded with all varieties of nursery stock, in which he employs a large

force of men, and in the spring of the year his shipments are very extensive and nearly all over the country, but especially west to the Pacific Ocean. No man who came as a pioneer to Illinois did more for horticulture and tree-growing than did Arthur Bryant, Sr. He loved the trees, the woods, the flowers. They spoke their own language to his poetic soul. No man was so retiring in his nature. He turned instinctively from a public gaze. and in the noisy throng his refuge was to re- tire within himself. A nature quiet, pure and diffident. An intellect cultured, strong, manly and elevated, with the finest poetic im- aginings. It was but natural with such a temperament to commune with himself, or pour out the fervor of his soul to the grand and beautiful in nature, in all her gorgeous decorations of landscape, trees and flowers. His education was real, profound and accurate in all its grand range from the highest Greek classics to the practical details of the count- ing room or the printing office, and to those who did not fully understand him it is pass- ing strange, that from the first position in a leading daily newspaper in the city of New York, he could become a pioneer in the wil- derness, with all its trials and deprivations and rough life. But not so to those who could better understand him. The brick walls and stony streets, the black pall and sooty cloud of a city, the noise, the vice, the crimes, the suffering, the selfishness, the shams and the whited sepulchers of the me- tropolis repelled him, and he sought undis- turbed nature. Where the sweet repose, the inviting field, the ethereal feast in the shady lawns called him and he could hear the birds upon the swinging limbs, carolling their notes of liberty and joy in the sweet sunshine of heaven. These shall be his fitting and immortal epitaph.

We insert the following from the pen of

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Dr. Richard Edwards, as published in the Chicago Inter-Ocean, of March, 1883:

" Arthur Bryant, Sr .- The fashions that prevail among men often have a tendency to obliterate in our minds the true estimate of a manly character. So much is made to depend upon mere social position or political influence that the inuate worth of a genuine manhood is in great dan- ger of being overlooked. With the crowd, notoriety comes to be the thing sought for. Mere brazen noise too often drowns out the gentle utterances of a well-founded fame. It seems hard for many to understand that one may be great, worthy of the respect and even of the admiration of his fellows, and at the same time be only a private citizen, per- forming the ordinary duties of an ordinary life. With this delusion, that measures the man by his accidents, the crowd is very liable to be carried away. And it is a dangerous delusion. It tends to destroy all right ideals of living. It tends to dissuade men from pursuits that are really honorable and useful, and leads them into employments that are in themselves worthless and mean, for the arts of the sycophant and demagogue are essen- tially debasing.

"Humanity, therefore, owes a debt of grati- tude to every man who by his life and char- acter helps to correct this mistake. And such a man was the subject of this sketch. Fitted by natural abilities as well as by schol- astic culture for a conspicuous position; en- joying in a more than ordinary degree the respect and confidence of those who knew him, he was still content to live quietly upon his farm, in no way distinguished from his neighbors in the same occupation, except as he was a better farmer and a wiser, more ex- emplary man than the average. Only once is it remembered that he held any public office. In the spring of 1837, when the

county of Bureau was first organized, he was elected one of the Judges of the County Com- missioners' Court.

"The principal facts of his life are some- what as follows! He was born in November, 1803, at the Bryant homestead, in Cumming- ton, Mass. He was originally of feeble con- stitution, being greatly troubled in early life with asthma. His father, an eminent and skillful physician, had little expectation of his living. But as he grew older the disease seemed to lose its hold upon him, and through his youth aud manhood he suffered little from ill-health. During the years 1822 and 1823 he was fitted for college at Barrington, Mass., under the tutorship of his brother, William Cullen. In the winter of 1824 he received a cadet's warrant from John C. Cal- houn, then Secretary of War under James Monroe, and entered the military academy at West Point in June of that year. But a pro- longed and severe attack of inflammatory rheumatism compelled his resignation in the following December. The season was a wet and cold one, and the long hours of guard duty, performed in the thin clothing rigor- ously prescribed at the academy, were too heavy a burden upon his slender frame. Early in 1826 he began the study of medicine, but by the advice of his brother William that study was abandoned, and in October of the same year he became a member of the sophomore class in Williams College. For some reason, now unknown, his course at Will- jams was terminated on the 3d day of March, 1829. The next six months were spent in New York City in the employ of his brother, who was then connected with the Evening Post, and had been since 1826. Here he made himself useful in a variety of ways, reading proof, etc. From November, 1829, until October, 1830, he was employed as a tutor in the famous Round Hill School at Northampton, Mass.

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This school was established in 1823 by Joseph G. Cogswell and George Bancroft, and in its day enjoyed the highest reputation. Its founders had examined the schools of En- gland and the European continent, and availed themselves in founding their new institution, of all they had learned abroad. One of the results was that it attracted pupils from all parts of the country. And here Mr. Bryant labored as an instructor for about one year.

" On October 11, 1830, he set out upon his first journey to Illinois. At that time the trip was a very different affair from what it is now. The details of the early part of the journey are not at hand. But, by the help of the Ohio River, he at last reached Cairo. His objective point, however, was Jackson- ville, in Morgan County, and the trip from Cairo to that place-a distance of 200 miles-was made on foot. In those days it must have been a tedious tramp, through brush and briar, over hill and stream, for we know that, through most of the distance named, the roads are even now none of the smoothest. The journey was accomplished, however, and Jacksonville was reached De- cember 1, 1830. Here he addressed himself resolutely to the business of pioneer life, laboring industriously with his hands. Soon after his arrival he seems to have purchased a quarter-section of land, in the working of which he was afterward helped by his youngest brother, John, who arrived in Jacksonville in May, 1831. In the an- tumn of that year he returned to Massa- chusetts. His errand appears to have been an important as well as an interesting one, for we find that, on the 10th of May, 1832, he was married in the town of Richmond to Miss Henrietta Plummer. Of that event the fiftieth anniversary was most pleasantly observed at the home in Princeton, in 1882. And any one who was then present or who

has witnessed the gentle and unremitting care with which Mr. Bryant was watched and succored during his last illness, must have been satisfied that the vows of that marriage had been faithfully and affec- tionately kept.

"In September, 1833, Mr. Bryant came to Princeton, and settled upon the farm whereon he has ever since lived. Here he betook himself to the labor necessary to the sub- duing of the wild prairie and the building up of a comfortable and attractive home. Most of the work in which he was engaged was substantially the same as that performed by his neighbors. But it soon became evi- dent that he looked at nature with more discerning eyes than the most of them He was not satisfied with the annual crops, and the annual product of cattle and swine. Not that he neglected these, by any means; but he thought also of other things. He planted trees, not alone for wind-break, but also for ornament, in order to diversify and adorn the monotonous prairie. And there they stand to-day, the double row of splen- did hard maples that line the street on either side, a conspicuous landmark-a place from which distances are reckoned and directions indicated. Besides these are the evergreens, the charming varieties of indi- genous and exotic trees of many kinds, some very rare, which beautify the ground. They are living monuments, more expressive than any cut in marble or granite, of the essen- tial refinement of the man.

"About the year 1845 Mr. Bryant engaged in tree culture as a business. His nursery soon became well and favorably known. His own name became identified with the movements organized for the propagation of fruit and forest trees. The Northwestern Pomological Society was set on foot about the year 1850, in the town of Princeton.

Tracy Reuse

سبح

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HISTORY OF BUREAU COUNTY.

During its continuance he was one of its most prominent members. A few years thereafter it was merged in the Illinois State Horticultural Society. This associa- tion still exists, and is actively promoting its beneficent purposes. One of its specialties at the present time is the extension of forest culture. This object Mr. Bryant had much at heart. In the meetings of the so- ciety he seems to have been always quietly but efficiently active. His reports from the committees have about them an air of thoughtful honesty. At the urgent request of members of the Horticultural Society, he published, in 1871, a book with the title: 'Forest Trees, for Shelter, Ornament and Profit. A Practical Manual for their Cul- ture and Propagation.' It is a smallish volume of 248 pages, containing as much downright practical sense, and as little of the opposite, on the designated subject, as one often finds in the same space. A care- ful reading of this book by the farmers of the Northwest would undoubtedly result in great blessing to the country, now and here- after. The subject is one whose importance cannot be overstated. How to extend the forest area of these prairie States is a most vital question. On the way in which it shall be practically answered will depend the comfort, and even the civilization of the future dwellers upon these plains. And here, in this book, we have the practical in- structions of an educated, sensible, practical man.

"By the State Society, and by kindred as. sociations, Mr. Bryant's death has been appropriately and, we may say affectionately noticed. His memory has been honored by fitting resolutions. Affectionate letters have been addressed to his bereaved family, by the co-laborers of years gone by. The Hon. G. W. Minier says: 'Our loss seems irre-

parable, especially at this crisis. We are or- ganizing an effort to conserve our forests and to plant new ones. Our eyes turned to this veteran forester for counsel. We feel like Clan Alpine's men, and are ready to cry out,

"One blast upon that bugle horn Were worth a thousand men."

" 'His place cannot be filled. Others may come, as wise, as earnest, as devoted, but the sincerity, the tenderness, and the patience were all his own.'

" Mr. Bryaut was a thorough man. He was thorough in his scholarship, notably so in his knowledge of the Greek language. He was thorough in his botany. To his mind the trees which he handled had other signifi- cance than that which appeared upon his ledger. He felt impelled to look into their structure and laws of growth. He was thorough in his moral convictions and quali- ties. In his dealings with men he was up- right beyond the shade of suspicion. He was always true, always correct, always clean.

" His death was caused by gangrene, which had proved fatal to some of his ancestors. The disease first appeared in one of his feet, and after about three months of gradual progress it attacked the vital organs, and the scene soon closed. His death was such as become him, calm and trustful. He died as he had lived, a firm believer in the Christian faith.

"Of his six children five remain. One, the second son, Col. Julian Bryant, who had already achieved some distinction as an artist, and who had faithfully served his country during the war of the Rebellion, was drowned on the Texan coast in 1865."

P. H. Griffith, of Princeton, has for some years dealt in nursery stock, and has raised considerable stock. Mr. Bubach, in the east

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part of town, is now giving nearly all of his attention to small fruit, and is making this quite a successful industry. (See his biogra- phy.) Mr. Edwards, mentioned above, closed his nursery and removed to Mendota some time ago. A man named Aldrich at one time had a nursery near Tiskilwa; but since his death the business is discontinued. At one time Mr. Bliss also had a small nursery near Providence.

Arthur Bryant, Jr., is the leading horticult- urist in the county, and, like his father, has expanded his business and kept even pace with the demands of the surrounding country, and by intelligent industry has promoted the industry and continues well the work left off by his father. He reports but little change in the leading varieties of apples and cherries from what is given in the foregoing report of 1869. He thinks the Ben Davis yet the best and leading apple for the general markets, but the trees are not as hardy in the way of a long life as are some others. The judg - ment of all the fruit growers of northern Illi nois now is that the late fruits are the most profitable; that the railroad communication with the South has completely changed the former advantages that there were in some of the earliest crops that would command often fancy prices in the city markets.

Mr. Bryant reports the Morello cherry as the only reliable variety that can be grown this far North. And that the grape produc- tion has decreased the past fifteen years. There is very little grape wine now made in the county, whereas a few years ago there were some good sized vineyards. But at this time, except about De Pue, the business has gone down to a great extent. He does not believe the black soil especially of the prairies profitable for grapes.

The Snyder blackberry is the most suc- cessful so far, and this industry is a growing

one. The raspberry and strawberry are not so reliable here as they are further south.

This is the great corn and grass belt-the land of fat and sleek horses, cattle and hogs. These will be the great leading industries of northern Illinois. And yet apples, cherries, and to a certain extent peaches, will in the end be successfully raised here and great profits made on each. But pears may so far be counted a failure.

In Tracy Reeve's yard we noticed a fine, thrifty chestnut tree, and on it a quantity of the real chestnut burs. We never saw a chest- nut tree look more thrifty than this one, even in the chestnut regions of Pennsylvania.

The timber growth all over the county be- speaks a soil and that moisture of the air that should encourage the people to busy themselves in the good work of tree-growing all over this part of Illinois. Already the beauties of landscape, the orchards, the arti- ficial groves, the shaded avenues, the shrub- bery and lawns that have added to the natural beauties of the country, are to be seen on every hand, and have added incalculably to the value of the whole county. They go far to demonstrate the inviting possibilities for this already favored land. Where trees will grow, as it is demonstrated they will here, men and women, strong and vigorous, will also grow and mature.

The first essential to each is a moist air, a bountiful rainfall. Animate and inanimate life seem fixed in their habits by the same law of soil and climate. An arid climate is not the best for either, and hence the interior of continents are the dry, sandy deserts. One recent writer of much ability contends that our prairies are the result of the dryness that once prevailed over the regions where prai- ries exist; that the rain belt and the tree belt are always the same. Recent investiga- tions make it quite plain that animate and

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History of Bureau County, Illinois, Part 31

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company Number of Pages: 776

Author: Bradsby, Henry C., [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, World publishing company
Number of Pages: 776