HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 39 



iiieudiug Duchess of Oldenburg imd Haas as hardy. Second — Cultivation 

 of ground amoug trees. Third — Preference for clay soil. Fourth — Shelter 

 from winds. Fifth — Heavy mulching. 



On motion of Col. Robertson, the report was received and ordered to l)e 

 placed on record. 



A motion to adopt the report as the sense of the meeting, started quite a 

 discussion, which turned chiefly on the varieties recommended. 



Mr. L. M. Ford was not satisfied with the hardiness of the Duchess. He 

 had known it winter killed in several instances. 



Col. Robertson thought it perfectly hardy when properly cared for. He 

 thought trees were often lost by improper treatment. He had lost some him- 

 self by having them pruned at the wrong season. Trees pruned either in 

 Spring or Autumn were likely to die. He favored Summer pruning, last of 

 June the best time. 



My. J. S. Shearman thought the Haas perfectly hardy : also the Duchess. 



Mr. Peter M. Gideon had found the Duchess stand the Winter, except 

 some trees from which he had cut scions in Autumn. Trees so cut had either 

 winter killed or dropped their fruit next season. 



Mr. Cook, of Blue Earth, had never had the Duchess top killed in Winter. 



At the adjourned meeting,- the next evening October l>>t, the discussion of 

 the Corresponding Secretary's Report was resumed, speakers being limited 

 to five minutes, and confined to the topics of soil, cultivation and mulching. 



Mr. Ford thought clay soil the best ; and fovored cultivation and mulching. 



Mr. Gideon thought clay and lime in the soil indispensable to tiie growth 

 of the tree; was in favor of mulching, but did not think cultivation of ground 

 was necessary. He had succeeded best with trees in ground sown to grass. 

 He had trees winter killed in ground cultivated, Mdiile those in grass land had 

 stood well, they being heavily mulched all the year. 



Mr. J. S. Harris thought clay and lime in soil necessary: also mukliiiig. 

 He cultivates his ground ; would not allow weeds or grass to grow in his 

 orchard, as they exhaust the ground. 



Mr. Cook said, he has mauy varieties doing well. His soil is sandy lomi 

 on clay subsoil. He cultivates the soil. Has never mulched. 



Col. Robertson thought clay and lime in soil necessary. He cultivates the 

 ground for a short distance around each tree, but has never mulched. 



Mr. Stewart favored a clay soil, heavy mulching and thorough cultivation. 

 He told of a Mr. Allen, of Waseca, who had a seedling orchard which he had 

 cultivated while the trees were young. They grew finely and looked healthy 

 when they came into bearing. He then seeded his orchard down in grass, 

 and the trees immediately began to fail. 



Mr. Gates has some fine Duchess trees in bearing, part of them in culti- 

 vated ground, others in clover sod. He don't see any difierence in their 

 healthiness. 



