STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 243 



OBCHABDING IN MINNESOTA. 



By S. M. Emery. 



In considering this prolific subject, we presuppose the society's 

 action in requesting essays upon orcharding is for the good of the 

 masses, those whose tastes and inclinations, as well as the constant 

 demand for standard fruits, urge them on to the possession and 

 enjoyment of thrifty orchards in full and perfect bearing, but lack- 

 ing the practical knowledge requisite to successful fruit growing. 



The classes who are planting can be divided into two, profes- 

 sional and amateur. The former are usually men of wide experi- 

 ence, who have devoted the whole or a greater part of their lives 

 to the pursuit of the business, and having tried all things, are 

 naturally supposed to hold fast to methods indicative of success. 

 The latter have much to learn, and, unfortunately, very little 

 reliable data from which to base calculations, we, as a State, being 

 singularly deficient in correct information of this nature. 



A reliable farmers' journal, edited by men thoroughly conversant 

 with the agriculture and horticulture of Minnesota, with an eye 

 single to the needs of our farming community, is a crymg want. 

 We do not mean this as derogatory to the well-conducted columns 

 devoted to the subject in some of our dailies and weeklies, which 

 are useful so far as they go, but not equal to the emergency. This 

 very lack throws our orchard-planting community upon their own 

 slender resources, or else upon the tender mercies of irresponsible 

 agents, whose business is to sell nursery stock, not to grow fruit. 



Trusting for pardon for this digression, we will present a 

 few practical suggestions so plain and simple that a way- 

 faring man, though a fool, may not err therein. The first import- 

 ant point to consider is location. Upon this much depends. The 

 blufi's along the streams, broken, irregular tracts of land, groves 

 of natural timber, all abundant in the eastern half of the State, 

 offer choice locations. In fact, they are natural orchard sites, and 

 from their protected situations render it possible to set with 

 perfect safety many varieties that would be worthless on level, 

 wind-swept prairies. Use good common sense in the selection 

 of the land upon which you intend to plant. The bluifs facing 



