HISTORY OF HORTICL'LTLUE IX .MlNXlCStriA. liJ 



RICE COUNTY. 



Fahibault, Minn., March 2, lS6o. 

 D. A. Robertson, Esq.: 



Sm— In reply to your enquiries regarding my experience with fruit trees in Minnesota, I 

 have the honor to submit the following : 



In 1859 1 planted fifty apple trees, four years old, obtained from Rochester, New York. 

 The names of the varieties I have forgotten ; they have all died but fifteen trees, which are 

 in good condition at present, and which have borne from two to six bushels each, of good, 

 large delicious apples for the last three years. 



In 1S61 I planted 200, three years ')ld, obtained fiom Ogden, Rock County, Wisconsin; had 

 eight varieties of equal numbers, the names of all of which I have forgotten. Twenty out of 

 this number died the second year. The balance (ISO) of this lot looks healthy; they ail blos- 

 somed last season, bat the blossoms got killed by the frost, without any seeming injury to 

 the trees. Some of the trees bore a little fruit. 



In 1863 I planted 100 more, obtained from the same Wisconsin nursery, three years old. 

 Ten died, and ninety lives in good condition, but have not yet fruited. I have now 285 trees, all 

 of which I am in hopes will bear this year. 



My orchard soil is a clay soil with about four inches of dark loam ou the surface— has been 

 under Cultivation four years with corn and.potatoes alternately, before planting any of my 

 trees— and every year since with potatoes, manured with an abundance of stable manure— al- 

 ways keeping at a respectful distance from the roots of the trees. 



My orchard is situated on very high ground, about 300 feet above the bed of Straight 

 River, which runs underneath. The surface of the ground is level— sheltered on the south, 

 east and north, by heavy timber. 



I have never protected the trunk or stems of the trees from sun, only when the tree was 

 disposed to grow too rapidly or to continue growing too late in the season. In such cases, 

 I have in the month of Sep^^^ember covered the surface with about a foot of earth, some four 

 or five feet circumferencing the tree, to protect the roots from the heat of the sun, but al- 

 ways keeping clear of the truuk, and also taking care to have this earth removed in the 

 spring. This method stops the too rapid growth of the tree and prepares it for cold weather, 

 so that the branches are not winter killed. 



My trees are all headed low and branching low. I regret that I cannot furnish you with 

 the names of the difl'ereni varieties which appear most prosperous. To obtain good apples 

 from my own trees being my chief object, I have entirely lost sight of all other particulars. 



I have several varieties of dwarf and crab apples— T'^ trees— all doing well; but as it seems 

 to me that everybody, with a little care, can grow th<ise successfully, I will not go into detail. 

 I have also several varieties of grapes, viz.: The Catawba, Hartford Prolific, Concord, Clin- 

 ton and Isabella, all doing excellent, and in bearing two years. Also the Cherry, Currant, 

 White Grape and Victoria, which are very desirable, and yield abundantly. I have not 

 the least doubt that apple trees will grow and bear successfully in Minnesota; in fact my ex- 

 pectations have been more than fully realized. lam certain that I will not lose any more 



In conclusion I would say, let no persons undertake the culture of apple trees in Minnesota, 

 who are not prepared to give careful and continued attention. 



I am, very respectfully yours, «S:c., 



Alex. Faribault. 



HENXEPIN COUNTY. 



Minneapolis, March 5, 1S66. 

 Gul. D. A. Robertson : 



Sir— I enclose a statement by Edward Murphy, Esq., of this place. His experience in at- 

 tempting to grow fruit trees was of the most discouraging character, but his soil and loca- 

 tion (near the Fair grounds,) were both unfavorable. The soil was light and sandy, in a 

 frosty location. I planted apple seeds in the garden of J. S. Norris; Esq., at Cottage Grove, 

 in the Spring of 1852, but owing to improper preparation of seed, but 60 came up that year, 

 and some 400 came up in 1S53. after lying one year in the ground. Of those seedlings, some 

 20 or 30 are now alive, 5 of which appear to be perfectly sound, healthy, handsomely formed 

 trees ; 15 have borne fruit; 1 fruited in ISG'2. Two of them bear very good fruit. 



I think that you are mistaken in thitiking that hard freezing will not hurt trees, without 

 warm sunshine. I know that the freezing and thawing of March and April will not hurt 

 trees which have been uninjured by the coldest weather in winter. Apple trees have not 

 been killed in the mild winters. 



