HISTORY OF HORTICULTLRE IX MINNESOTA. 67 



may be one iu twenty thousand, some say one in one hundred tliousand — has 

 brought forth fruit. Be this as it may, we have over two hundred varieties 

 of seedling apples thus propagated, some of which are of rare merit and few 

 of an inferior quality. One of these seedlings, the Wealthj', propagated by 

 Peter M. Gideon, of Hennepin county, is pronounced by eastern pomologists 

 to be superior to any new variety of apples that has been introduced for the 

 last decade. 



As the country becomes improved, as our soil becomes reduced to a proper 

 state of cultivation, it seems that the Pyrus Main's, particularly in certain 

 localities succeed in reaching maturity. Where the soil, ol* the climate, or 

 some strange fatality was poison to them a few short years ago, they flourish 

 now. Perhaps our seasons are changing. Evidently we have much to hope 

 from certain standard varieties of apples as well as those seedlings of a 

 Minnesota birth. 



But should all of these fail, we have a reserve to fall back upon which is 

 impregnable. The Siberian family are as hardy as the oak. They should be 

 extensively cultivated. In our success with the Fynis 3Ialus, do not let us 

 forget their half-brother, the Siberian. A few years since had we known 

 their value we should have prized them more than silver or gold. 



Let us " render to Ctesar the things that are Caesar's." Let us pay tribute 

 to our Harrises, Robertsons, Bates, Gideons, Summers, Rollins, Kellys, 

 Posts, Fords, Stewarts Elliots, Brainards, Grimes, Drakes, Brimhalls, Good- 

 years, Cooks, Bells, Hoags, Ways, Woodruft's, Martins, Harvey Wilsons, 

 Norrises, Dorrances, Perkins, Woodwards, Hawkins, Truman Smiths, and 

 others who never faltered as the clouds lowered through so many dark years 

 of lailure. 



Our soil, climate and latitude, seem favorable for prolific crops of small 

 fruits. In the fall of 1856, Mr. E. Whitefleld, the artist, sent some McLeod 

 county soil to Prof. Hayes, of Boston, to analyze. That learned gentleman 

 said that such soil should produce strawberries as large as New England 

 walnuts. Why, the treasurer of this Society raised last year near three hun- 

 dred bushels of this fruit. By a copious use of this healthful berry, fevers 

 are banished from our households. The strawberry of Minnesota is not the 

 strawberry of the Egyptian region of Illinois. Ours is juicy, fat, plump- 

 suitable feasts for the gods. Our raspberries, currants, gooseberries, black- 

 berries, blueberries, are all cultivated with so little labor, and so reliable and 

 hardy, that it is in the province of every household to have them. 



The cranberry, too, is a profitable luxury. Large quantities of the wild 

 fruit are shipped every autunm. We have the testimony of Wyman Elliot 

 and A. D. Foster, gentlemen of acknowledged horticultural worth, that the 

 cranberry can be cultivated with great profit. Late frosts in the Spring are 

 the bane of this fruit in New England and New Jersey, but here we are free 

 from such visitations, which renders it unnecessary to overflow the marshes 

 to prevent the frosts from destroying the blossoms. It is reduced to a cer- 

 tainty that from four to six hundred dollars per acre can be realized from 

 properly cultivated fields of cranberries. 



