208 HISTORY OF FIOHTICULTUUK IN MINNESOTA. 



wlio will thus dovott' himself to tlic public .^ooil, will confer iucalculnlilc bci.- 

 etits on our State, and entitle himself to the rank of a public benefactor. 



At the conchision of the address an opportunity was ottered for those ^v!l(^ 

 were willing, to state their experience in regard to fruit growing, or any fact 

 that had come under their observation bearing upon the subject. We have 

 not space or time to give even brief abstracts of what \yas said. Statements 

 were made by Messrs. L. M. Ford, Wheaton of Northfield, Smith of Free- 

 born. Mitchell, of Goodhue, Nichols of Olmsted, Governor Marshall and 

 other gentlemen. The subject is not only an important but an exceedingly 

 interesting one, and w^e are glad to see so much interest manifested. 



A resolution was passed to hold a meeting every Thursday evening during 

 the session of the Legislature. 



Also, that the subject of conversation for the next evening should be the 

 winter protection of fruit trees, grape vines and plants. 



The meeting adjourned at a late hour. 



THE CLIMATOLOGY OF FRUIT CULTUHK. 



From the St. Paul Daily Press of Jamiary 11. 186T. 

 In our report of the proceedings of the Fruit Growers' meeting, held last evening at the 

 Court House, will be found an admirable paper, prepared by Col. D. A. Eobertson, embrac- 

 ing in brief some of the results of the laborious researches of that gentleman, in what may 

 be called the climatology of fruit culture, as applicable to the naturalization of apples, pears, 

 cherries, and other staple fruits of the temperate zone in this climate. As a matter of fact, 

 it has been ascertained by costly experiment, that most varieties of Iruit trees will not sur- 

 vive the winter climate of Minnesota, while some few of northern origin, such as the Duchess 

 of Oldenburg, successfully resist the rigors of our winters. It is also a matter of fact, that 

 in climates whose winters are as cold as ours, apples. &c., thrive well, but the experiment of 

 introducing these hardy varieties from Lower Canada, northern Vermont or Maine, has also 

 generally proved a failure. 



But these failures have not disheartened Col. Robertson, who has an abiding faith that the 

 apple may, in time, be educated to our climate, and that, in the meantime, there are many 

 existing varieties, besides those already introduced, which are entirely adapted to oar cli- 

 mate. 



He assumes that these varieties may be found in analagous climates. This principle has 

 been generally recognized by intelligent horticulturists, their only error being in regarding 

 those climates as analagous where the winter temperatures, or, still more loosely, where 

 lines of latitude correspond. But atmospheric moisture is almost as important an element 

 of climate as temperature, and this principle of climatology has been very generally over- 

 looked by our fruit growers. Guyot divides climates generally into two classes, the mari- 

 time or oceanic, which cover the seaward slopes of continents with the humid atmosphere 

 of the sea, and the interior or continental climates, n-here a dry atmosphere prevails, such 

 as reigns over the interior plains of Asia and America. 



Now. the climate of Minnesota is a blending of these two in Summer: while in V.'inter the 

 arid interior atmosphere generally prevails. It is in a corresponding geographical situation 

 ir. the Eastern Hemisphere, that we must seek for the climatic parallel of Minnesota, both 

 as to heat and moisture. We long ago pointed out the striking coincidence both of temper- 

 atures and rain measures between the climate of Minnesota and Central Russia, and it is 

 here that Col. Robertson is led by his researches in natural history to look for the apples, 

 pears, plums and cherries which are suited to the peculiar conditions of our Minnesota cli- 

 mate. The subject is one of such great importance as will justify practical investigation. 

 For our own part, we do not in the least doubt that Col. Robertson has got upon the right 

 track, and that not in Illinois nor even in Northern New York, nor in Lower Canada, but in 

 the interior of Russia and Siberia are to be found the nurseries which will supply our fruit 

 growers with the future orchards of Minnesota. 



