Teansactions at the Annual Meeting. 163 



cherry trees are increasing in jiumber. Of small fruits the An- 

 cient Briton Blackberry continues to be successfully grown by 

 covering in winter. 



Of strawberries, the Cresent Seedling and Sharpless as well as the 

 Wilson were very productive the past season, and our markets 

 are being supplied, partially, from the newer varieties. 



The grape crop was a partial failure with some growers, from 

 some unknown cause. A blight coming on the foliage and fruit, 

 soon after the young grapes had set, stopped the further growth 

 of both. One extensive grape grower in an adjoining county 

 thinks the cause of the disease to be the extreme cold weather of 

 last year. But I cannot see how even 40° below zero can affect 

 vines which are covered with earth. We very much hope that 

 the trouble is not extensive or lasting. 



FIFTH DISTRICT — H. FLOYD, BERLIN. 



Counties — Oreen Lalce^ Waushara^ Marquette and Winne- 

 hago. — Through extensive personal observation and inquiry, I 

 am able to give a full and complete report of the condition of 

 fruit trees in the fifth district. I can truly say that at no previous 

 time in the history of fruit growing in thid district, has the out- 

 look for fruit been so dubious as the present one. The enormous 

 exhaustion of vital forces, incident to the production of the 

 largest crop of fruit Wisconsin has ever known, — that of 1880, — 

 was alone sufficient to leave our trees in a low, feeble condition. 

 But when thus exhausted, to be called upon to stand as severe a 

 winter as has ever been known or experienced by Wisconsin 

 fruit growers, was quite too much for a very large per cent, of 

 our pets, especially those standing on dry soils; hence the out- 

 look is dark. General destruction tells the whole story. 



The eastern part of Waushara and northwestern Winnebago 

 was formerly covered with heavy timber, the soil of which is sand 

 and clay loams, on a moist clay subsoil, in which is found lime 

 dilTased through it, giving it a lively, friable consistency when 

 worked up with surface soil. Through all this region, in favor- 

 able locations, small orchards had been planted, and were gen- 

 erally doing well, in defiance of cold winters, heavy cropping, 



