IS HISTORY OF HORTICULTLRE IN MiXXESOTA. 



the pa?t five years. They were planted eight years ago last Spring; obtained from \\'isconsin. 

 My surface soil is hlack, snbsoil yellow loam, Avith a mixture of clay. 



The land had been cultivated one year before planting the trees, and for five years after 

 mostly in garden crops : the past two years to -rrass. 



The present appearance of the trees is good. Some were killed four years ago this winter 

 The trees are pretty well sheltered on both sides. 



I mulched my trees one winter. Some of them are higli and seem low ; limbs come out 

 rather low generally. 



The fruit has generally been fair and good, for seedlings. Two years last fall I had about 

 2o bushels, the two past seasons about o bushels each year. * * 



Yours truly, 



Wm. G. Allyx. 



W-UJASIIA COUNTY. 



Woodland. Match 5th. ISGtt. 

 Mr. D. A. Robertson : 



hJiR :— In this section of the State there are several orchards in bearing. The largest is 

 that of Mr. Stewart (post office address Rolling Stone.) He told me in the Fall of 18G4 that he 

 had about seventy-five bushels of apples. Last Fall there were but few apples raised here as 

 the fruit buds were killed by the late frost last Spring. Mr. George Sylvester has an orchard 

 of some one hundred trees in bearing for some three years. Mr. Fisher has an orchard of 

 about the same number of trees, that has been in bearing some three j'ears (post office ad- 

 dress Woodland.) My own experience is somewhat limited, but such as it is, I will freely 

 communicate. In the Spring of 1SG2 1 set twenty-five trees from a nursery at Burlington, Iowa. 

 Since 1862 I have planted trees from a nursery at Winona, which are very thrifty and doing 

 well. I have not lost one by winter, but some of them did not grow well the first season in 

 consequence of the severe drouth. 1 mulched them. The varieties are the Northern Spy, 

 Yellow Bellflower, Janetting. Red Astrachan Golden Rnssett and Winter Greening, all of 

 which are doing well. I have ordered for setting next spring, the Duchess of Oldenburg, 

 Saps of Wine and Wine Saps, with some of the kinds that are living of the planting of 186"^ 

 which are Yellow Bellflower, Janetting and Golden Russett. 



W. Golden. 



WASHINGTON COUNTY. 



Marine Mills. Feb. 20, ]86fi. 



The orchard I am to speak of belongs to Mr. Cheeney. not a resident of the State at pre- 

 sent. 



The trees>>were grown from seed, and planted in the spring of 1850 ; seed obtained from 

 Vermont and Michigan. Do not know all the varieties [grafted on the seedlings ?] Among 

 them are Roman Stem, Pearmain, Fameuse, Rhode Island Greening, Golden Sweeting, and 

 Newton Pippin. Very few of the above named varieties have been lost or injured. The 

 trees were planted in rows about eight feet apart^ with currants and other shrubs planted 

 in the rows for a protection to the sprouts. The land was cultivated but little after the sec- 

 ond or third year. The soil is sandy loam with slight subsoil of clay and gravel. There is 

 solid rock at the depth of six feet. Since the fourth" year nothing but grass has been allowed 

 to grow amon',' the trees, except gooseberries . currants and raspberries. The trees look 

 thrifty and bear well, are sheltered on the west side by a bluff, on the north by woods, being 

 on the north side of the St. Croix River and oa a narroAv table land twenty or thirty feet 

 above high water. 



The trees have no artificial protection from either sun or wind, except for the first three 

 years from the shrubbery planted among them. 



The trees have not grown very tall, though some of them have reached to twenty or tAventy- 

 ftvefeet; they mostly branch low. All the varieties aboved named have fruited. Some 

 others have not fruited, but have grown well and give promise of fruiting soon.' Some few 

 of the trees have been bearing for eight years, others not so long. I believe there were 

 twenty-two\ fruited last season, yielding nearly thirty bushels of good apples. They are 

 mostly grafted, tiough some few are the natural fruit. The trees have not lieen mulched 

 that I remember, since the second year. 



The above, as far as my knowledge extends, is the history of the ondiard. though additional 

 facts may be obtained by writing to Mr. Cheeney. 



S. E. TALL3IAN. 



