STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 153 



you can grow if, you have a good thing. On the highland where I 

 am it does well. 



Mr. Eldridge. My Pewaukees have been bearing four years. 



Mr. Poole, of Parmington. I have three Pewaukee trees in bear- 

 ing. Last year and this year they bore heavy crops, and have paid 

 better than any other variety. 



The report of Committee on the Gideon Experimental Fruit Farm 

 was called for, and not being forth coming, Prof. Porter said : 



Mr. Gideon's object has been to produce hardy and long keeping 

 varieties of the apple. Has planted 600 or 700 trees in double 

 rows — hardy varieties alternately with long keepers. Planted five 

 years ago, and came into bearing this year. Trees look well, and 

 produced twenty or thirty bushels which were stolen by parties 

 coming in boats. Mr. Gideon secured a few specimens, the seeds 

 of which will be plauted, and from the product of these seeds, the 

 first results of his cross-breeding, may be looked for. Grapes have 

 been successful. Pears not. Peaches have been grown and ma- 

 tured there in open air. The Regent.s will sell the Minnetonka 

 farm at an early day, and consolidate experiments in pomolog}'' on 

 the new farm of the State University. Mr. Gideon, however, will 

 not be disturbed in his experiments, but will be allowed to go on 

 in his own way. 



The Secretary, I do not think Prof, Porter meant to be under- 

 stood that peaches were growing at Minnetonka without protec- 

 tion. When I was at Mr, Giddeon's place last winter I saw a 

 number of small earth mounds in his grounds by the house, and 

 was informed the peach trees had been laid down there and covered 

 up. Our summer climate will ripen good peaches anywhere in 

 Minnesota if the trees can be protected through the winter ; and I 

 know of seedling peaches that grow and bear at Read's Landing 

 without protection. They are in the garden of Wm, Dustin, on 

 the northerly side of the river bluff facing the never freezing water 

 at the junction of Lake Pepin with the Chippewa river. There too 

 is where the pear trees stand that are referred to by Collins Pratt 

 in the fruit report. It is a spot where the sun shines once a year — 

 on the Fourth of July as a special compliment to the American flag. 



Whether it is the contant coolness of the location or the vapor 

 that rises there over the water, which in winter, as seen from Lake 

 City, ten miles distant, looks like the smoke over combatants of a 

 battle field, or both, that protects the tress, I cannot say, but am 

 satisfied that this location or any other like it is a profitable one 

 for fruit culture. 



