134 HISTORY OF HORTTCULTL-RE IN MINNESOTA. 



Ben Davis, Perry Russet, English Golden Russet, Tallinan Sweet, Rawle's Janet, for Winter 

 varieties. These varieties I consider are hardy enough for Minnesota. Other varieties I am 

 testing, such as Northern Spy, Carolina Red, June, Bailey's Sweet, Calvert, but I am not fully 

 prepared to say whether they will prove hardy with me or not. 



Of the varieties of Pears. I planted the Flemish Beauty principally, although I have one 

 or two other varieties which I am testing. 



Of Cherries — I planted Early Richmond. 



Of Plums— Fall Egg, German Prunes. 



Grapes— Concord, Clinton and Delaware. 



Small Fruits— Doolittle Black Caps, Iloughtons Seedling Gooseberry; Wilson's Albany 

 Seedling, Green's Prolific, Downer's Prolific, and Jucunda Strawberries. 



My standard apples are young, and have not fruited much yet. Wilson's Albany Straw- 

 berries and Doolittle's Raspberry fruit well with me, also, Houghton's Seedling Gooseberry, 

 and ditferent varieties of currants. My orchard is not protected much ; trees that I set 

 around it are young yet; not much slope to the ground. I mulch thoroughly with barnyard 

 manure in the Spring; prune in the months of June and July. My experience favors low 

 headed trees; cultivate them with a corn cultivator until about the middle of July, usually 

 grow a low hoed crop in my orchard. Have not fruited any new seedlings. 



Yours truly, 



M. C. BONNELL. 



Mr. Smith, of St. Paul, in making a verbal report, said he had been engaged 

 thirteen years in fruit growing in Minnesota, principally in grapes and apples. 

 Many of his apple trees had borne seven years. One point he had learned 

 was, that variety had much to do with successful fruitgrowing in Minnesota. 

 He had tried all varieties nearly, and he placed the Duchess of Oldenburg as 

 the: best. He said that the old objection was. that the fruit dropped from the 

 trees almost as soon as ripe ; but we had them here to-day as perfect as pos- 

 sible. They were not so good for eating as for cooking. But if he had but 

 one tree give him the Faraense. He named others that had done well ; the 

 Ben Davis, the Golden Beauty, and others. He had also grapes — sixty varie- 

 ties — and he had not failed to ripen them in thirteen years. But it took care 

 and labor. They cost more here than elsewhere. In small fruits he had not 

 done so well. He placed Seneca Black Caps, at the head of the black rasp- 

 berries. Of the red, the Clark was first for quality. The Philadelphia was an 

 enormous bearer. In blackberries he had tried all he could hear of, but only 

 the Western Triumph had appeared to stand. Two gentlemen near St. Paul 

 had succeeded finely with blackberries, raising seven or eight varieties, and 

 growing large quantities from the wild fruit, and he would recommend the 

 Society to look into the case. They grew them in sandy soil. In strawberry 

 culture Wilson's stand at the head. The Jocunda had, with him, been per- 

 fectly Avorthless. Of cherries, he preferred the Early Richmond, his trees 

 having done well. Pears had done well until troubled with the blight. Of 

 apples he had raised one hundred bu^heli?. He had shipped grapes to Iowa, 

 to Philadelphia and New York, he thought about two tons. He had raised 

 altogether about four tons. He considered the Delaware the best grape for 

 all purposes whatever. He had picked them from the vine, hung them up in 

 the cellar and kept them until March. Thej^ were the best variety, he repeat- 

 ed, for eating, for wine, for keeping, and all else for which grapes could be 

 used. A child would, if allowed a choice, pick out the Delaware in preference 

 to all others, its flavor never cloying anybody. He had eaten them this season 

 almost ever since August. It was the best grape for the masses to grow. 



