90 ANNUAL REPORT 



inches, and wliich has yielded in a single year 121^ bushels." While visiting orchards and nurseries in 

 Western New York in 1876, we measured a tree of tlie Northern Spy variety, (it originated here) that 

 was stock grafted some four or five feet liigh, the seedling below where the graft was inserted, and four 

 feet above the surface of the ground was a trifle over thirteen feet in circumference, and above the base 

 of the graft the Nortliern Spy measured plump thirteen feet six inches in circumference. Western New 

 York is thought by some to be the finest fruit section in tlie world, but no foreign variety can approxi- 

 mate their native trees in size, or excel their fruits in quality. It was here that I first saw the Duchesg 

 of Oldenbarg in bearing— some twenty-five years ago— trees, now, perhaps, thirty-flve years old, and 

 it is doubtful if to-day you could find one that would measure four feet in circumference. No varieties 

 from Northern Europe have attracted much attention in vVestern New York, simply because their na- 

 tive trees grow so much larger, yield so much more abundantly, and the fruit as a rule is better in 

 quality. I predict the day is not far distant when the same can be said of Minnesota. But we have 

 good reasons to be a little proud of the Duchess if she is of foreign origin, and but the forerunner of 

 something better, and as Josh Billings would say, its too much like "argering agin a success" to say 

 aught against her. Of the Washburne seedling, S. H. Gaylord, an old and esteemed friend of Wabasha 

 county, writes me under date of Dec. 8, 1831: "I called on Mr. Washburne to investigate the fruit and 

 tree business. Unfortunately this be'ng a year that I'ruit fails to keep, there was none to be had. I se. 

 cured the desired specimen of wood, also the measure of circumference one foot from the ground, viz. 

 4 feet 103^ inches, which you will see is larger than we supposed. You will observe that the wood is in- 

 jured some. Mr. W. says last winter was the first it ever hurt. The fruit is a good cooking, tart apple, 

 yellow, with red cheeks, and good to eat from hand. The bark on the trunk looks very much like a 

 wild crao. 



One of our committee on seedlings requested me to look into the merits of a new sweet apple that 

 took the first premium as a seedling winter fruit, at our last State fair. We found the originator to 

 this new candidate of public favor, W. Forster, living in the township of Orion, Olmsted county. He 

 claims it to be a seedling of the St. Lawrence, and one might infer from the general appearance of the 

 tree and fruit that its other parent was the Talman Sweet. From my short acquaintance with this 

 seedling I am inclined to think the tree just a trifle more hardy than St. Lawrence and Talman Sweet, 

 with fruit more tender and jucy than the latter. 



J. S. Stickney, one of the most reliable horticulturists of Wisconsin, who represented that State at the 

 American Pomological Society meeting at Rochester, N. Y., Sept. IT and 18, 1379, said: "And here I 

 may state, as showing also what is possible for us, that nothing finer, more attractive, or beautiful 

 could be found on any table, than the plates of Wealthy and some four other seedlings, sent from Ex- 

 celsior by our friend Gideon.' These were all domestic fruits. In a glimpse at Michigan horticulture. 

 Secretary Charles W. Garfield says: "When Fatiier Marquette and his Jesuit brothers paddled around 

 our beautiful peninsula over 200 years ago, dropping here and there a few apple and pear seeds along 

 with 'the seeds of the word,' they little dreamed of the great future that was indicated for Michigan in 

 the thrifty growth of seedling fruit trees that were to spring up along their pathway. A few of these 

 old trees are still found on the shores of Erie, Huron and Lake Michigan." 



Pears.— Downing says: "By comparing the robust vigor and longevity of many native pear trees to be 

 found in the United States, some 80 or 100 years old, and still producing large crops of fruit, with the deli- 

 cate trees of several new varieties now in our gardens from Europe, the superiority of the former becomes 

 apparent. These varieties are delicate, not only with respect to their constitutional vigor, but they are 

 also more susceptible to injury from the severity of our winter's cold and summer's sun. The bigh 

 flavor of the Seckel pear, an American variety, as yet unsurpassed in this respect by any European 

 sort, proves the natural congeniality of the climate of the Northern States to this fruit. 



Plums.— Of all the difterent fruits indigenous to this country, there is perhaps none but what may be 

 as successfully moved further from its place of origin than the plum. With this fruit, at least, it is do- 

 mestic or none. 



Cherries.— We know of know ertbrts having been made to domesticate, or rather to propagate, the 

 cherry from seed in this State ; hence, little progress has been made. 



Grapes.— Foreign grapes in the Northwest, we all know to be worthless, when compared with such 

 domestic sorts aS Delaware, Concord, Janesville, Roger's Hybrids and many others. 



Strawberries —With me no strawberry has given as good satisfaction as Hart's Minnesota seed- 

 ling. Wilsons Albany and the leading varieties of the country are known to be domestic fruits. Lastly 



