114 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



Clark's Orange and Pewaukee bore some fine fruit the past season, 

 in my orchard, also the No. 20 crab, which, when I tasted the 

 fruit, made me glad that I ever formed the acquaintance of our 

 friend Whitney. The Minnesota fruited, but not enough to give 

 it a favorable report at this time. Our veteran friend Wilcox has 

 moved or is moving his nursery from Trempealeau to La Crosse, 

 showing by his actions that he has faith in high locations; hope he 

 will succeed. I tried to have him come to this meeting, and if he 

 had, I would have tried to have saddled this report on to him, as 

 he is much better posted in the district than I am. 



I had a good crop, say fifty bushels, of Transcendents, and a fair 

 crop of standard apples the past season; saved, no doubt, from frost 

 by the high location. The greatest treat I have enjoyed the past 

 season was a visit from friend Stickney. He gave me some en- 

 couragement, and on his recommendation I will set fifty more pear 

 trees next spring, Kellogg to the contrary notwithstanding. Mr. 

 Wilcox visited my orchard, also Mr. Mathews, of the Northwestern 

 nursery, at Baraboo. I believe this constitutes all the nurserymen 

 I have seen on my grounds, and none of them advised me to stop, 

 so I will try it another year. I find that a person engaged in hor- 

 ticultural employments is always learning something new, especially 

 if he or she are trying to inform themselves. I found out some- 

 thing this winter that was new to me, and I will give the public 

 the benefit of it, but don't want much said about it. A farmer in 

 my town said to me: "Are you going to buy any trees for your 

 neighbors this spring?" I said, "Yes, if they want them." 

 " Well," he said, " I will give you three dollars for six good Bald- 

 win trees; I bought a barrel of that fruit last fall, and I like it, as 

 it is better than any apple I ever raised." I said, " I fear it is not 

 hardy enough." He said, "yes it is;" and said he, " T have found 

 out the whole secret of this business; nurserymen, knowing the 

 value of the fruit, do not sell the trees broadcast over the country, 

 but confine their sales near home, to their particular friends, thereby 

 monopolizing the trade in that fruit." Being somewhat acquainted 

 with a few nurserymen, the story looked so reasonable that I did 

 not dispute him, and as he did not place me under bonds of secrecy, 

 I tell it. 



From what information I can gather and what I have seen, trees 

 went into winter in good shape, and everything looks favorable for 



