168 mSTORY OF HORTICULTURE TN MINNESOTA. 



at all points both in grafts and seedlings. Mis undertakings had been on a 

 limited scale, to be sure ; but they had amounted to little, and he would no- 

 tify all his friends that if they wanted any scions of his seedlings at one dol- 

 lar and a half apiece, he was ready to supply them. He was satisfied, how- 

 ever, that the northern part of the country produced the most perfect fruit, 

 and the prospect was therefore encouraging in that regard. 



Mr. Hamilton said the presence of the Governor reminded him of something 

 in his message, recommending the growth of forest trees in the vState. The 

 planting of trees was not only a benefit to the State at large but to the horti- 

 culturists in particular. The planting was profitable, as a farmer had proved 

 by raising them at .-SI, 000 per acre. 



Mr. Harris said it had always been, to some extent, the aim of the Society 

 to encourage the planting of forest trees, and all else that would beautify and 

 improve our homes. But fruit culture had so entirely occupied the attention 

 of the Society, as to prevent due attention to forest culture. He had hoped 

 it would be different in the future. It added greatly to the comfort of the 

 inmates to have shade trees around a house. Minnesota had needed shade 

 trees greatly, and would be compelled to have more of them in the future. 

 Flowers, too, add much to the beauty of our homes. Mr. Harris gave an in- 

 teresting personal experience of his beginning in fruit culture, which had 

 been a great success : and he felt grateful to the State for his success in that 

 line. He believed that that beginning had done much to introduce fruit cul- 

 ture in the State. 



Mr. Cox was called upon to address the meeting. He said that horticultyre, 

 arboriculture, and agriculture were the three graces. He harl never expected 

 to see such. a display of fruit in Minnesota as was seen to-night. He con- 

 cluded thus : That when he first came to Minnesota he concluded that his 

 vocation was not hard work ; but he did plant out five cottonwood trees, which 

 had greatly flourished. He had succeeded with others, evergreens, and so on. 

 He had had as complete success with evergreens as with cottonwood, and 

 the last named were invaluable to keep off the wind. He showed that trees 

 generally enhanced the value of property. He had been quite successful in 

 planting soft maples along with cottouwoods. He had tried cherries, and 

 they had proved in some cases certainly a success. 



Mr. Tuttle wished to say that it was quite as essential to give fruit trees 

 room as corn. He thought it well to intersperse evergreens with fruit trees. 

 He never knew a worm to cut out a tree, although an orchard would only bear 

 fruit on the outer edges. The evergreens not only beautified the farm but 

 benefited it. A $100 worth of small evergreens would be almost invaluable 

 as a protection. 



Mr. Hamilton said that he bought, two years ago, 2,000 evergreens for their 

 cemetery in Winona, and they lost but very few, although the trees were 

 considered over size. They were laughed at : but the Austrian pine, Norway 

 spruce, arbor vitae, and the balsam fir. all did well. The arbor vitse seemed 

 to be the best. He Avas, besides, a friend to the ])irds. and those evergreens 

 harbored the birds greatly, even to the quail, which he had seen lying dead on 

 the prairie for want of protection. 



