HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 141 



Ml'. Smith suggested that the grapes thus sold were not good grapes — were 

 not such as could be considered marketable. 



The Chairman pro tern, suggested that this discussion on grapes was prema- 

 ture, and was overlapping on to-morrow's programme, and that it had perhaps 

 better be postponed in favor of the regular plan of proceedings. 



Mr. Harris wished to read a note from the Secretary of the State Horticul- 

 tural. Society, addressed to the Society here, introducing Messrs. Tuttle and 

 Wille3^ The note was then read. 



]SIr. Harris then moved that the two gentlemen named be constituted 

 Honorary members of the Minnesota Horticultural Society, and be invited to 

 take part in the proceedings, and the motion was adopted. 



The Society then adjourned to 10 o'clock, Wednesday morning. 



WEDNESDAY MORNING. 



Meeting Avas called to order by the Vice-President as chairman. 



Col. Stevens proposed to continue the reception of reports, which was 

 agreed to, and the chairman called for any such, verbal or oral. The Secre- 

 tary then read the folloAving reports : 



EEPOKT FROM JOHN W. SLEE. 



Oak Grove Nukseuy. / 



DuNDAS, Rice Co., Minn., Jan. 5. 1878. \ 



To the Seeretary of the State Horticultural Society: 

 Dear Sir : — In reply to questions asked in your circular of December 20, 1 state as follows: 



1. Varieties of apples— Fameuse, Ben Davis, Perry Russet, Jonathan, Limber Twig, Let- 

 ter's Cooper, ^Esop's Spitzeuberg, (winter). Red Astrachan, Duchess of Oldenburg, (summer.) 



2. Pears— Flemish Beauty, Bartlett. 



3. Grapes— Concord, Delaware, Catawba, Elsiuburg. Hartford, Clinton. 



4. N. Y. Bleeker. Miner. 



5. Grapes— Amount raised, 2.5 bushels. 



6. Best, Concord. 



7. !My orchard is a cool, gentle slope to the north, between the blutts east and >outh. and 

 entirely surrounded by second-growth timber, thirty feet high. 



S. I mulch all Summer with green weeds, grass, etc., gathered when cultivaling and 

 hoeing. 



9. I plant 16 feet apart: prune high in June. Close planting and long bodies are my fancy. 



10. I plow only in hot weather ; twice if possible ; use no fertilizers but rotten wood and 

 leaf mould. 



11. Cultivate as long as the Aveeds grow. Grow corn, potatoes and vegetables : never 

 grass, or small grain. 



Have been setting trees for three years past : have fruited none as yet : set two-year-old 

 trees in preference to any other. 



MT catechism. 



I believe better grapes can be grown in Minnesota, than in New York or any State north- 

 west o{ it. I believe that any kind of apples will grow here that grow in the Western States. 

 I believe that in ten years our apples will be in demand in eastern markets, and grade there 

 ;;s our flour and wheat does this year. 



I consider timber soil more favorable than prairie soil. I think when planted on prairie 

 they should be on clay or gravel soil, in good heart and tilth, and planted close, for mutual 

 protection. The worst enemies to orchardists are pocket gophers. Strychnine in a raw 

 potato is sure death; put in th^ hole in early spring. For rabbits, put heaps of green brush 



