HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 37 



in eight inches of the ground ; train to a trellis eight feet high ; every year 

 after first, cut back to within two buds of last years cutting. 



Mr. Hamilton said that Dr. Ford, of Winona, had the best success with 

 Hartford Prolific, Concord, Clinton and Delaware. The Delaware was the 

 best table grape, and had been grown with best success. Thinks all these 

 vines should be laid low and covered. The Black Cluster Grape is raised in 

 Winona. It is a very hardj' grape and never needs covering. Has been ex- 

 posed to heavy winds, and had the leaves all cut from the vines, but bore 

 grapes. The man who owns the original vine, raises six or eight bushels 

 from his trellis. The grape is as large as the Isabella. It originally came 

 from New York, under the name of Black Cluster, but that is probably not 

 its true name. 



Mr. Jewell confirmed the favorable reports of this vine ; there was no 

 question of its hardiness in that locality. Thought the success of the Dela- 

 ware depended largely on the original vigor of the plants. The vitality of 

 many vines were injured by the attempts of nurserymen to propagate too 

 fast. The vines should be propagated by layers rather than eyes of cuttings, 

 A straw covering will answer for Delaware and Concord, Isabella, loua and 

 Adriondack had not succeeded well as fav as known. Rogers' hybrids have 

 done well. 



Adjourned to half past 1 o'clock p. m. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



At the afternoon session, the convention w^as called to order by the Presi- 

 dent, and Mr. Mott explained the law regulating the measuring of fruit. 



Mr. Elliott said custom made law, and it had become customary to use 

 wine measure in selling small fruits. He had noticed that the hucksters 

 were accustomed in buying small fruits to use a round tin measure, of the 

 dry measure standard. If he could sell strawberries by wine instead of dry 

 measure, he could save one quart in six. 



Mr, Mott oft'ered the following resolution, which was adopted. 



Resolved, That the Legislature be requested to regulate the measurement of small fruits. 



It has been deemed best to give the proceedings of this first regular debate 

 on fruit growing that was reported and published, as fully as possible ; 

 because — as will be noted — it foreshadowed so much that has occurred since, 

 that it is proof that those concerned as pioneers in fruit growing here, were 

 neither too sanguine on the one hand, or too distrustful on the other. And 

 it demonstrates, further, that in the selection of hardy fruits and plants, they 

 were up, to a remarkable degree then, with the demands of the situation, 

 since on comparing the views advanced by many at the very last meeting at 

 St, Paul — that in January last — the same facts in application to current difll- 

 culties and successes could only be reiterated. 



For instance, it will be seen that in regard especially to apples, the Duchess 



