218 ANNUAL REPORT 



ESS A Y ON THE MAN A GEMENT OF ORCHARDS IN 

 MINNESOTA. 



By a. J. Phillips, of West Salem Mass. 



Had I written an essay on the above named subject ten years » 

 ago, I would have examined the reports of your State society and 

 those of other societies where latitude and other surroundings were 

 similar, and would have prepared a paper for your consideration, 

 made up of the condensed opinions and experiences of the most 

 practical nurserymen and orchardists. And I entertain no doubt 

 that it would appear before you clothed in better language, arrang- 

 ed in a better manner, and be a much more interesting document 

 to be read in your hearing, and discussed by the members of the 

 Minnesota State Horticultural Society, than the one now before 

 you. By way ot introduction, will say I propose to give you a 

 paper on the subject as given in the title — on Minnesota and 

 latitudes similar, as [ have learned it from twelve years constant 

 experience and hard work in the business; and for the purpose of 

 this essay will give you no Latin or foreign phrases, but endeavor 

 to write it in plain English, so that every man who contemplates 

 plating an orchard in Minnesota, and in localities similar, can 

 understand it, and I hope, treasure up some suggestions from it 

 that may prove a benefit to him in his future efforts to raise fruit 

 in this climate, which cannot be done without firm determination 

 and the exercise of the greatest care. In the different items which 

 contribute to make up the orchard, the apple being by far the 

 most important fruit, and the leading inquiry among planters be- 

 ing where, what, and how to plant, cultivate and market, I will 

 devote this essay mainly to the inquiries respecting an apple 

 orchard. I cannot of course in the length of an ordinary essay, 

 attempt a thorough treatise on all the foregoing points, but will 

 give you in as short, plain and concise a manner as possible, the 

 experiences and practices that have come under my immediate 

 observation. The first item that suggests itself, is the selection of 

 a site for the orchard, which includes several important factors, such 

 as altitude and locality, as regards bodies of water, also exposure. 



