HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 21 



FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 



An adjourned meeting was held this evening to hear the report of the committee appointed 

 last evening to draft a Constitution. 

 A good attendance and the committee made their report, which was accepted. 

 The following is the list of officers for the ensuing year: 



Col. D. A. Robertson, President. 



Col. Charles Hoag, Vice-President. 



Dr. J. H. Stewart, Treasurer. 



Pennock Pusey, Corresponding Secretary. • 



J. H. Brainard, Recording Secretary. 



Truman M. Smith, 

 Wyjian Elliot, 

 Dr. Chute, 

 Dr. David Dat, 

 O. H. Kellet, 



Ex-Committee. 



On taking the chair Colonel Robertson made some very interesting remarks upon the 

 certainty of success in fruit culture in this State, and he complimented the gentlemen 

 present for the interest they were manifesting in the good work, believing that the future 

 of this society would show their labors as one of the greatest value to the State. He 

 suggested that next year this society have a display of Minnesota fruit as a commencement. 



Mr. Harris of LaCrescent said: that every fruit tree we plant would be a monument to our 

 memories. He came from Ohio Avhere fruit is plenty; he found no fruit here and his first 

 attempts were laughed at by his neighbors, being a lot of trees he purchased at LaCrosse 

 ten years ago that no one else would touch. Some of that fruit was now presented to the 

 gentlemen present. Many were afraid to set out trees but he was satisfied we could raise 

 fruit here. He loses no trees on old cultivated land but does loose some on neAV ground. 

 Trees should be set on ground where early melting snoAvs will run from the trees and 

 prevent the slush from freezing about the trunk which will be apt to loosen the bark and 

 kill the trees. On two of the trees he first set out he gathered last Saturday three bushels 

 and can sell them to-day for fifteen dollars. Jersey Sweet— the very tips of the trees have 

 n.ever been injured by our winters. The fruit is of extra large size and a handsome apple. 



He claims that no crop to shade the trees should be planted in an orchard. 



All mulching ought to be removed as early as August, so as to let the ground cool oft" in 

 the fall. Leaves and chips are the best manures, as they will restore those ingredients to the 

 soil which have been destroyed by the prairie fires. 



Four best varieties for Minnesota— Red Astrachan, St. Lawrence, Bailey's Sweet, and Red 

 Streak. 



Pears— Flemish Beauty. 



Several other gentlemen gave their experience in fruit growing, all considered it a fixed 

 fact in this State. 



Several gentlemen were elected Chairmen in their respective counties, to act in connection 

 with the Society, as provided for in the Constitution. 



It was the opinion of other gentlemen present, that trees set on fresh broken ground would 

 do just as well as on old ground. C. R. Hoag, of Dodge County, claims that locality has much 

 to do with fruit trees, many doing well with others that have failed with him. 



The fruits exhibited to the meeting were thoroughly tested, after which they adjourned. 



SECOND LETTER. 



Rochester, October 6, 1866. 



Besides the above there were a number of specimens, the names and growers of which we 

 did not ascertain. 



There were also a good show of grapes, among Avhich the most prominent and most suc- 

 cessful varieties— grown in Minnesota— were the Concord, Delaware, Hartford, Prolific, 

 Northern Muscatine, Clinton and Creveling. The fruit growers present at the fair reported 

 numerous successful growers of fruit in various counties of the State, who had not exhibited; 

 and while the fruit show was one of the most interesting and gratifying features of the Fair, 

 many regretted that there was not, as their might have been, a larger display. 



We predict that at the next Annual Fair there will be a showof Minnesota grown fruits that 

 will greatly astonish our people. To insure this most desirable object we confidently rely 



