84 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



and only one or two would become perfect flowers, if 

 all were left to grow. By removing part, those left would be 

 more perfect, and the plant would bl)om more freely in the fall. 

 Some varieties will not give perfect flowers, and others only a 

 few perfect ones. These should all be discarded, and none but 

 the best be raised. Frequently plants that give imperfect flowers 

 the first of the season will have all perfect ones later, when the 

 weather is cooler. The dahlia is a large, coarse flower, but gives 

 great satisfaction from the length of the season and the profusion 

 of its bloom. It was the last flower to be seen in the fall, and, 

 by a little protection, would often be an ornament in the garden 

 or lawn after the frost had killed all the rest. 



Mr. Plumb said that in his experience, and in that of others, 

 as far as he had seen, the richest soil was not the best for dahlias. 

 It gave a rank growth, but also formed imperfect flowers. The 

 best success he had ever had was in very hard soil, where there 

 had been an old road-way. This was broken up and a space as 

 large as a half bushel dug out of the hard earth and gravel and 

 filled in with good earth and compost. The plants here grew to 

 a moderate size, blossomed early and gave perfect flowers all the 

 season. From his experience, he should choose the poorest and 

 hardest soil and serve in this way. The same was true also with 

 sweet potatoes. They would, in this kind of soil and treatment, 

 start early, make a moderate growth of top, but early in the sea- 

 son, and would ripen the tubers early. 



A paper was read by Mr. PJumb on 



NORTHERN FRUITS AND FRUIT GROWINO. 



My title is suggestive of varieties and treatment distinctively 

 peculiar to northern territory. We find it a necessity of this 

 region to know the climatic changes to which we are subject, and 

 the character of the soils we have to use; and also the inherent 

 character of the tree or plant we seek to grow and the treatment 

 best suited to its nature. These underlie all successful horticult- 

 ure, and all these must be in a measure understood before we can 

 claim success, from a correct theory or law, rather than from acci- 



