HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 7 



But before we take up the regular history of the organized ettbrts through 

 a horticultural association to advance fruit culture in the State, it is fitting 

 that we should have a glance, if possible, at what was done by single-handed 

 and isolated ettbrts in that direction. 



Amongst the very first then, in the field, in the ettbrt to raise apples, was 

 Mr. John Shaw, from Maine, the splendor of whose success as now seen in 

 the fine orchard of Mrs. Campbell, near Winona, which last season produced 

 six hundred bushels of fine fruit, is perhaps the most marked result had in 

 apple culture in the State, the seed having been planted in 1852. 



We find, next, through L. M. Ford's Farmer & Gardner, that the Hon. Eli 

 Robinson, of Nininger, had as early as I860, "a few apples growing on his 

 trees ; " and was quite confident of raising this and other fruit at his place. 

 Further, "a friend of his in Washington county, had quite a number of 

 fine apples on trees that had passed through the hard winter i" these 

 remarks indicating plainly enough by the air of doubt conveyed, the then es- 

 timated precariousness of the undertaking. At the same time, we note that 

 Mr. P. M. Nichols, of St. Paul had in his garden a large specimen of the 

 Siberian Crab, and some lialf dozen of the common red and yellow varieties, 

 one tree having produced two and a half bushels of fine apples, that sold at 

 the door, at fifty cents per peck," Mrs. N. gave away a great quantity of the 

 fruit besides — ten times as much as was sold." 



At the State Fair held at Fort Snelling, that year, we find that Mr. H. F. 

 Masterson, of St. Paul, took the first prize for "the best display of pears," 

 and Mr. Nichols the first prize for the best display of Siberian Crabs. Messrs. 

 Rudolph Knapheide and Masterson also took the first prize, each, for Isabella 

 and Catawba grapes respectively. Strawberries, especially, made a principal 

 figure at Fort Snelling, on this occasion. The same year — 18G0 — in July, the 

 St Paul Horticultural Society had a fine showing of fruits, flowers and vege- 

 tables, the only apples visible on the occasion however being the Siberian 

 Crabs. 



In I86I, besides having some success with pears, Messrs. Masterson and 

 Simons raised peaches successfully, the last being reported in the Farmer 

 c£- Gardner, as having one peach tree loaded with fruit, and presenting a 

 "rare and magnificent spectacle." Messrs. Griggs of Kaposia, Dr. L. H. 

 Garrard of Frontenac, and Hemy Orstine each raised quite a number of 

 apples, the first mentioned having planted his trees five years previously. 

 The same year also, Mr. Theodore Furber of Cottage Grove, raised apples 

 from trees grown on his place, his father Major Furber, having brought the 

 seeds from Maine, fifteen years previously, and raised several crops from 

 them. Others had made efforts on a greater or larger scale, to esta])lish 

 not only apple orchards, but had tried, as had Mr. Peter M. Gideon, as will 

 be seen by his account of it in the proper place, to grow pears, cherries, 

 peaches, quinces, grapes, the mulberry, &c., determined to be satisfied only 

 by actual experiment, tltat this region could be suitable only for certain 

 kinds of fruit. 



From the beginning of the settlement of Minnesota, indeed, there has not 



