WRENSHALL TRIAL STATION, ANNUAL REPORT. IO5 



of plums. Six varieties each of currants, gooseberries, red and 

 black raspberries were set out; also some grapes. 



This stock comes from six different nurseries, and some from 

 Prof. Green, some from 'Sir. Elliot, and the Pyrus baccata budded 

 trees from the state experiment station also. These plantings 

 thus represent nine dift'erent sources, which should bring out 

 some interesting results as to their relative merits. 



Forty different varieties of strawberries are growing here. 

 These strawberries come from growers in New York, Ohio, 

 Dakota, Michigan and Minnesota. Part are so-called '"pedigree" 

 plants and part those that are not. All have done exceedingly 

 well the past season. 



Every one of the 150 trees set by me last spring were still 

 alive this fall. Of fifty trees set three years ago, forty-six are 

 still alive and doing well. Two Duchess bore their first fruit this 

 >ear. A test between the so-called "pedigree" strawberry plants 

 and those commonly sold by nurserymen is under way. The 

 growth of the present year show no choice, but an opinion can- 

 not be formed until they come into bearing. Strawberries are 

 being tried on sand, red clay and clay and sandy loam. The trees 

 have never had any protection from the weather whatever. I 

 do not believe in petting them. If they cannot withstand the 

 climate, they must go. Wild bird cherries, choke cherries, high 

 bush cranberries, dewberries, thimble berries, blueberries, 

 strawberries, currants and raspberries grow wild here by the 

 hundreds of acres. I shall do much experimenting with these 

 wild fruits, as they are all hardy here. I have succeeded in 

 grafting the tame cherry upon the wild cherry stock. 



Snowballs, lilacs, peonies and roses do well and should be 

 planted more largely about our farm homes. Trusting that future 

 reports will be of more interest and assuring you I shall spare 

 no pains in my efforts to accomplish things of some value, I close 

 this my first report. 



Mr. C. S. Harrison (Neb.) : Do you graft the tame cherry on 

 the wild? 



Mr. McLeran : Yes, and make it live. 



Mr. Harrison : You can graft them on the eastern bird cherry 

 and make them live. 



The Chairman: It has been done in this country, but it does 

 not make a satisfactory stock. 



Mr. McLeran : I attempted twenty grafts, and there were six 

 that grew. 



Mr. C. W. Merritt: Don't you lose the wild fruit by prairie 

 fires? 



Mr. McLeran : We have a good many, but that brings in the 

 fruit. 



