REPORT OF C. S. HARRISON. DELEGATE. 259 



esting address on the apple orchard in March and April. Mr. 

 Strand is located at Taylor's Palls. 



Prof. Washburn of St. Anthony Park, connected with the 

 Minnesota Experiment station, gave an interesting paper on the 

 plum curculio as a foe to the apple. He had cuts showing the 

 damage they inflicted. Nurtured in the plum orchard when the 

 food there was not sufficient, they took to the apples, often 

 ruining whole orchards. The matter was thoroughly discussed 

 and a warfare planned against the pest. 



A leading plum grower gave his experience. He had no 

 trouble now that he understood the business. He kept hens in 

 his plum orchard and cultivated the ground every week or two. 

 He gave those in hiding no rest, and the chickens were on the 

 alert to catch everything they could find, and he was rewarded 

 with an enormous crop of perfect fruit. Jarring the trees was 

 recommended. There must be a sudden jar; shaking was not 

 enough. Give the rascals a sudden shock and they fall. Have 

 a sheet ready to catch them. But the hen cure seems the best 

 of all. It pays to keep fowls. The more you have and the 

 more they lay the higher their products, and when the little 

 faithful chemists can transform such worthless pests into good, 

 wholesome eggs, better give her a chance, and let orcharding 

 and chickens go together. No use in trying the hap-hazard way 

 of letting an orchard take care of itself; with that system you 

 court a failure. 



PLUMS AND CHERRIES. 



Minnesota seems weU adapted to the plum. Nowhere in all 

 the west can you find finer native plums than in this state. I 

 well remember that along in the '50s we used to go out plum 

 gathering, and as the crop lasted for weeks we had fine times, 

 often bringing bushels of splendid and luscious fruits. In those 

 days there was no curculio, and the fruit was perfect. By gen- 

 eral consent the most popular and successful plum is the Sur- 

 prise, which seems by far to lead all others. 



When you reach the center of Minnesota — dividing the state 

 north and south — you cross the cherry belt, and there does not 

 seem to be much use in trying to move the belt farther north at 

 present, unless some new kinds or new methods can be chosen. 



