196 HISTORY OF HORTICULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 



stitute one of the most iuterestiug chapter.s in the country's history, to show 

 how apparently insuperable clitticulties may be overcome by those in earnest 

 in the struar^le to which they are committed l)y circumstances. 



The conclusion that must be arrived at in view of all this, is that the State 

 of Minnesota is one peculiarly adapted to the growth of apples, especially, 

 with the right kinds once selected, and the right culture bestowed upon them. 

 Perfect as the apple is here, to more than an ordinary degree, in the absence 

 of imperfections in growth, in knotty or rough surfaces, or indications of 

 any sort of early decay, the(juality and beauty of it has consequently extorted 

 high commendation and admiration from tlie most enlightened fruit growers 

 and men of science assembled in national gatherings for the consideration of 

 these and kindred matters : and at last, thoroughly aware of this, none here- 

 after should have so much as a misgiving as to the good future in store for 

 the people of Minnesota. 



Further, as of interest to the people of other States and communities in 

 regard to questions bearing upon this subject of fruit culture as dependent 

 upon climatic conditions, the committee have deemed it important to 

 give the very complete meteorological conditions and results of the region 

 subject to the experiments chronicled in this volume, as these have been 

 prepared by a most careful and competent gentleman, Wm. Cheney, Esq., 

 correspondent in Minnesota of the Smithsonian Institute. Judiciously adapt- 

 ing — as he has done — the results observed, to the popular apprehension. ))y 

 simplifying as much as possil)le the results arrived at for the period since the 

 Society was organized and in the line of experiment, none can fail to see 

 that if success has been achieved under somewhat exceptionally severe Win- 

 ters, of late, the pathway open to us is easy, comparatively, in the future. 



The committee commend their labors, or the results reached, to the kindly 

 consideration of all interested in the matter discussed. Necessarily somewhat 

 imperfect in some particulars, because the materials submitted to their hands 

 were fragmentary and difticult to make perfect as a systematic and unbroken 

 narration, they have done the best that circumstances permitted; and now 

 submit the result, with a belief that their earnest endeavors, at least, in a right 

 direction, will be appreciated by all concerned. It will be seen that by the 

 course pursued in compiling the work ; the labors and opinions of all have 

 been set forth impartially, each being allowed to speak for himself. Believing 

 that it would have seemed invidious to have done otherwise ; to have selected 

 the opinions and experiments of a few onlj'^, even of the most successful as 

 representatives of the labors and trials of the whole body of fruit growers in 

 the State, the work will be found not lacking in fidelity at least, even although 

 it fail somewhat as a succinct and methodical narration. Presented in such 

 shape, it is certainly a mine of experience, from which all interested may 

 select whatever is of essential importance in endeavors at fruit growing, or 

 whatever bore upon the undertaking in the infancy here of the experiments 

 made. 



The committee cannot conclude their work without calling the special 

 attention of the reader to the character of the regular Annual Addresses 



