y 



56 HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 



the}' are easily injured. Did not tiiink it necessary to cultivate the ground a 

 number of years before settiui; out the trees. He cited several places where 

 orchards had done M'ell, when protected from the sun, though in otherwise 

 poor localities. Noticed that they seemed to fruit better when exposed less 

 to winds. 



J. S. Shearaian agreed in substance with Mr. Jewell. Thought the main 

 part of the pruning should be done before the trees left the nursery. Would 

 set out trees on high timber land Avith as much confidence immediately after 

 being cleared as after it had been cultivated several years. Thought trees 

 ought to be mulched Summer and Winter, when possible. AVould ridge the 

 land before planting, that water might run from the trees. Mulching in 

 Winter is not so important when the snows are deep. Pruning should be 

 done the last of June. 



L. M. Ford believed in pruning. Prunes his Transcendents up straight for 

 two years, and has no ditticulty in forming good heads. Kubs off small 

 branches whenever they appear in wrong places. Had pruned the Trans- 

 cendent in the Fall without injurj-. 



A. Stewart would prune a tree and pinch it back for sj-mmetry while 

 small. Thought the lower a tree branches, the better. Pruned in June or 

 August ; many trees are killed by winter pruning. Thought it necessary to 

 mulch as protection from both Winter and drouth. Leaves are best to mulch 

 with. Fruiting of trees is injured by winter pruning. 



J. S. Shearman had known hardy kinds killed by winter pruning. 



E. B. Jordon had found more trees affected by black heart on sand than on 

 clay. More trees are killed by freezing and thawing in the Spring, than from 

 any other causes. Mulching will often save them. 



Mr. Hamilton had found that trees not mulched, became diseased, while 

 those mulched came out all right. Thought it better to delay mulching till 

 the ground freezes. 



Chas. Hoag offered the following resolution : 



Rewlved, That this Societj' approve of pruning trees while they are small, and in this 

 region, in the latter part of June or early in Julj', and recommend free mulchhig in Spring 

 and Fall. 



Adopted. 



The chair was then assumed by the President. 



NEW SEEDLING APPLES AND CRABS. 



A. Stewart Stated that his seedling No. 7, planted in 1857, had proved 

 perfectly hardy. The tree has borne three years, and the fruit is a little 

 smaller than the Transcendent, of good flavor and keeps until January. 



Messrs. Hoag, Shearman and Grimes, stated that they had tasted the apple, 

 and considered it good and the tree perfectly hardy. 



P. A. Jewell had several seedlings of much value. ( 1.) A full crab, size of 

 Transcendent, of an oblong shape, deep red color, sweet and mealy. ( 2.) A 

 small winter crab, greenish yellow, sweet and good. { ?>.) Russet, Sweet 



