516 STATE HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



northeast to southwest, and not far from six miles in extreme width ; but so 

 extremely irregular in outline and so broken up by bays and peninsulas, that 

 scarcely cau a point be fouud which is not within IvMt a mile of laud in some 

 direction. There are many attractive locations, and several enormous hotels 

 for the accommodation of summer visitors, as the lake enjoys a national repu- 

 tation as a summer resort. 



It was here, near the present village of Excelsior, that P. M. Gideon loca- 

 ted at a very early day and commenced his efforts for the origination of a 

 new race of apples, possessed of the requisite hardiness to enable them to 

 withstand the extremes of the climate of the "cold north." 



His location is upon the southerly shore of an arm of the lake, known as 

 Gideon's bay. He commenced by obtaining from the State of Maine seeds of 

 the Cherry crab, which were planted and the seedlings fruited. Seeds were 

 saved from the finest of these, which were planted and these seedlings in turn 

 fruited. This process has been repeated again and again. From the original 

 lot of Cherry crab seeds sprang the Wealthy, which in his latitude (forty- 

 five degrees) is in season from November to January, although further south 

 it becomes strictly an autumn fruit. It has become extensively popular especi- 

 ally where great hardiness is requisite. 



By the continuation of the process spoken of, Mr. Gideon has now orig- 

 nated a large number of varieties which he deems valuable for the north, 

 among which he names Lou, August, Florence, Excelsior, September, Cherry 

 Red, Duchess, Martha, October, Wealthy, Gideon, Peter and January, as 

 being hardy enough to withstand a temperature of — 40'' and as affording a suc- 

 cession from the first of August till the end of February. 



So important to Minnesota were the labors of Mr. Gideon considered that, 

 several years since, the State purchased a parcel of land near him and placed 

 him in charge, with authority to originate varieties and establis.i trial 

 orchards thereon. This arrangement continued for a series of years, during 

 which an extensive orchard was planted and grown to a bearing age, but 

 owing possibly to the ambition or jealousy of others, aided perhaps by some 

 of Mr. G's personal peculiarities, the arr.mgement had been closed, and the 

 orchards left without supervision, the fruit plundered and the trees sadly 

 injured. Meantime Mr. G. is continuing the process of origination upon his 

 own responsibility, and now has a young bearing orchard on his own premises 

 from which he will select seeds for planting in the spring of 1888. 



The State of Minnesota showed, at the New Orleans exposition, a very fine 

 collection of native grapes which had been grown at tliis place. To the 

 surpiise of many, the collection included well ripened Catawbas; which 

 variety sometimes fails to mature fully, even two or three degrees farther 

 south. Wliile here, we made a hasty visit to the vineyard where these had 

 been grown ; which is very favorably located, on ground sloping rapidly to 

 the east and south The pruning is done upon a plan which greatly facilitates 

 the laying down and covering of the plants in winter — a process which is 

 indispensable here. Our visit here occurred on August 20th to 22d, at which 

 date " Minnetonka grapes" were advertised for sale in the markets of Min- 

 neapolis. 



A hasty visit to the grounds of Mr. Lucdlaff, of Carver county, showed 

 that his bearing orchards, containing some of the so called hardy Kussian 

 apples, had suffered sadly from the recent exceptionally severe winters; 



