142 HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE IN MNNESOTA. 



outside of gardeu to attract them and trap mice. Keep the ground clean ol' rubbish in win- 

 ter, and a shock of corn at each corner, and never kill a ^veasel. 



Respectfully yours, 



John W. Slee. 



REPORT FROM II. W. MEXDENIIALL. 



RAriUAN, January 4, 1873. 



I. Apples— I have planted Duchess of Oldenburg, Golden Pippin, Golden Russet, Perry 

 Russet, Stewart's Sweet, Fameuse, Saxton, Ben Davis, Tetofsky. Ross, and several other 

 varieties of grafted fruit; all doing very well. About 25 seedlings, from four to eight years 

 old. Two of them fruited last year. Have grafted more tender varieties on crabs; they are 

 doing well. 



3. Grapes— Concord, Delaware, Hartford Prolific, and Rogers' No. 1.5 and 8. Pruned 

 close, laid down and covered in the Fall. 



4. Plums and small fruit— One large blue plum tree, doing well; do not know the name. 

 1 have grafted several varieties of Minnesota plums. Raspberries— Doolittle's Black Cap, 

 Davidson's Thornless, Philadelphia, and a yellow raspberry obtained from the woods. Prop- 

 agates from the tip same as Black Cap. A very good variety. Strawberries— Wilson's Al- 

 bany, Hooker, Lenning's White, and Brooklyn Scarlet. 



5. All the above are doing well. 



6. Apples— Raised about fifteen bushels of apples. 



7. Protected some on the south and northeast, but none on the Avest and northwest. 

 Gentle slope to the east. 



S. I do not mulch, but wrap the small trees with papers to keep the rabbits from eating 

 the bark. 

 9. Prune in June, and head about four feet high. 

 KK Manure w ith stable manure. 



II. Cultivate as long as there is a weed to be found. Cultivate Avith kitchen and flower 

 gardens; do not allow weeds or grass to grow. 



12. Two varieties of seedlings have fruited ; season, October and November. One of them 

 is nearly as large as the Golden Russet; color, yellow; not quite so tart as Duchess. The 

 other is a little larger than the Transcendent; flavor, about as the Saxton. 



About eight miles southwest of Mankato, on Blue Earth river. 



H. W. Menbenhall. 



Mankato. Blue Earth county, Minn. 



Winona, Minn.. Jan. 12. lbT8. 

 A. )V. McKinstry, Recording Secretary: 



Dear Sir: — Not being certain of being able to attend the annual meeting at St. Paul, which 

 occurs on the 14th inst., I will answer the questions very briefly, which have been sent out. 



1. " What varieties of apples have you planted?*' This question I will not attempt to 

 answer in full, for tw-o reasons: First, I do not know exactly, and then I do not wish to lead 

 others astray by trying too many kinds. I have in my orchard over 150 varieties, not all 

 fruited as yet. My location is good; has both northeastern and southern exposures; good 

 clay soil; snow stays on the ground ail winter to protect the trees fi'om so severe freezing. I 

 will give the list here which I would recommend for general planting and for market pur 

 poses; and one word here: All who are raising apples in Minnesota for market, I would advise 

 them to set but few varieties and a good number of each, so that if he has an order for 

 100 barrels of fall apples from a St. Paul grocer, he can fill the bill with one variety, and the same 

 with Summer or Winter fruit. For Summer use -Yellow Harvest, Harvest Sweet or Spur 

 Sweet, Tetofsky, White Astrachan'RedAstrachan, Carolina June. For early Fall use— Duchess 

 Oldenburg, Fall Wine Sap. Later— Price's Sweet, Fameuse or SnoAV, Summer Rose, Haas, St. 

 Lawrence. Winter— Golden Russet, Perry Russet, Ben Davis, and one or two varieties of 

 the winter crab apples which are raised by P. A. Jewell, of Lake City, for each and every 

 orchard. There are many others which I miglit mention— which I Avill not— for general cul- 

 tivation, for the reason that I think the public generally had not better be the ones to e.xper- 

 iment. Let the few who Avish to do it learn for the rest, and report after a tair trial. 



2. Pears — Flemish Beauty does Avell and is good enough; others may do, but it has not 

 failed yet with us. 



3. Grapes — Concord, DelaAvare, Hartford, Prolific, and the Rogers varieties are good 

 enough, and do well with us. 



4. Plums, cherries and small fruits— Plums have not been tested to my satisfaction, yet 



