14 HT^TOIIY OF noi^TTCTLTriJE IN MIXXESOTA. 



bought tliem said he had two kinds that liad never killed. He brought me down six of them. 

 They were the Red Astrachan and Talmau Sweet. I pulled up the poorest of previous jear's 

 stock and put tliese in place of those that had died. These have lived, although they were 

 not well cultivated: the limbs were left until very large, and then cut off very badly. I had 

 [of the previous planting] but one No. 1 tree that was a Talman Sweet. It has never killed 

 any. Another, a Ked Astrachan, has done very well, being protected by my house from the 

 northwest and north winds. Some of the branches of the others killed partially. Two of 

 the second crop of trees that sprouted from the roots are quite large trees. One from its 

 appearance is a seedling. I put some well rotted manure about the roots every Fall, till last 

 Fall, say ten inches high about the body. The^trees are headed low. 



In 1S64 I bought tAventy trees, twelve from J. R. Rollins' Nursery, Elgin, Wabasha county, 

 raised by himself in good shape. In 18C3 he had three bushels of apples off of his trees, the 

 oldest six years old from graft. These trees are headed very low. The trees I had of him 

 are three Red Astrachans. one Byham Sweet, one Ramsdell Red, two Sops [Avine "rj, three 

 Oscaloosa, one Porter, and one name lost. My trees were not mulched. The first three 

 came out all right; Byham Sweet, top partially killed, also Ramsdell Red and Porter. The 

 ■balance came through all right. The eight other trees v/ere from a Wisconsin Nursery. 

 Four Perry Russets came out all right; three Keswick Codlin. ends of limbs killed some; 

 one Early Harvest, poor tree, and died pretty much last Fall. I have this year set some fifty 

 more fruit trees of difi'erent varieties, which we consider hardy here. The above trees de- 

 scribed are all standard trees. My garden has been worked every year since 1858. C. R. 

 Hoag, of this town, has experimented wit!i trees more tlian any man in town, and has now 

 quite a little nursery, and has raised a few apples. 



Yours truly, 



Samuel Willson. 



WABASHA COUNTY. 



Elgin, Wabashaw Co., Feb. 12. 18CC. 

 Mr. B, A. Robertson, St. Paul. 



Dear Sir: Your communication is received. I v,ill proceed to answer the questions in 

 the circular, in regard to apples, and apple trees. 



1. and 2. The oldest trees I have, were grown from seed planted here in the spring of 

 1856, were grafted in the spring of 1S58, planted in orchard in the spring of 1S59. 



3. The nearest to perfection of any tree I have tested is one, the name of which I cannot 

 ascertain. I received the scions from Vermont under the name of Sjyice Stoeet, but upon fruit- 

 ing, it proves to be a HOur apple. This, as far as the tree is concerned, I put first and fore- 

 most of over fifty varieties tried. I will send by mail a specimen of the fruit; it has been in 

 eating the three past months. The green apple is of this variety. We call it Good Enough; 

 if the true name can be told, would be pleased to know it. The Good Enough is a fine growing 

 tree, with open and round head, has fruited three years in succession. The fruit is excellent 

 for cooking, is good as soon as grown, and none have rotted up to the present time. 



With my present knowledge, I would place the Elgin, the Malinda, and the Jewett's Red 

 as the next in point of hardiness, though I have but a single tree of each variety that is in 

 bearing. The Elgin is a Minnesota seedling, is a vigorous grower, open head, and comes 

 nearer to some of the varieties of Crab trees, in appearnce, than any other of my trees. It 

 is a fall variety, yellow-shaded, medium size, sub-acid. 



The Malinda is a Vermont seedling, very hardy. Fiuit not first quality. Good and con- 

 stant bearer. The yellow specimen sent is of this variety. 



Jewett'sRed is an eastern variety, red, first-rate. You probably know it. 



Red Astrachan, Oscaloosa, William's Favorite, Byham Sweet, Pound Sweet, Sapsanar Shrop- 

 skiu. These would follow as the next hardiest, and they have all fruited with me, except 

 the Oscaloosa. 



4th. The soil varies in different parts of the orchard. It includes black prairie surface, 

 two feet deep, and opening, or light colored surface. The subsoil is light colored, very 

 fine sand and clay. The roots of trees readily penetrate the subsoil. 



5th. My first trees were planted on the previous year's breaking; have planted since on 

 older ground; do not consider previous cultivation as essential, if rotted well when broke. 

 It has been cultivated in corn, leaving the stalks to stand through the winter, but not 

 planting within four to eight feet of the trees. One year in rutabagas. Think corn is 

 best. Have manured once with barnyard manure. 



6th. The surface is uneven ; has a southern aspect though portions slope in every direction. 



