392 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



tendent to be practically free from blight. These trees are grow- 

 ing on a tract of five acres of land not especially well located as 

 an orchard site, as it is somewhat lower than the land on several 

 sides of it, apparently having been selected for the purpose on ac- 

 count of its sheltered location. The orchard has every appearance 

 of being in all respects well cared for. It is well cultivated to 

 stimulate growth and partly, perhaps, for the purpose of permitting 

 such trees to blight as are inclined to, so as to get rid of them 

 early. We found a large number of these trees in bearing, many, 

 however, being early ripening varieties, from which the fruit had 

 already been taken, assisted by the omnipresent small boy, who, it 

 seems, is somewhat in evidence in this excellent town of Owatonna 

 as well as elsewhere. Many of the trees, however, were carrying 

 considerable fruit and often of large size and fine appearance. A 

 few varieties just in season were tested by the committee and 

 found good enough for their eating, and handsome enough to 

 satisfy the demands of any market. The sorts, however, being 

 sought for especially are late keeping varieties, and these were 

 not at the time of our visit sufficiently advanced for examination. 

 As many as possible of the late keeping ones will be shown at the 

 next winter meeting of this society and passed on then, so no 

 further reference to them is needed at this time. 



Mr. Dartt laid the foundation of this station in the growing 

 of seedlings himself and transplanting to the station every kind 

 that could be reached that gave promise of value, also testing at 

 the same time any named varieties of which there was any hope 

 of usefulness in Minnesota. The results so far attained from this 

 justify many times over the outlay and indicate the wisdom dis- 

 played in locating this station, which should certainly be continued 

 in the very satisfactory work it is doing in aiding to solve the vital 

 problems connected with the development of successful orcharding 

 in the northwest. 



Incidentally the committee saw much of the extensive green- 

 houses and nursery grounds of the Clinton Falls Nursery Co., of 

 which Mr. Cashman, superintendent of the station, is president, 

 and the ride about the adjacent country gave us some thought as 

 to the orchard development of what long since became one of the 

 horticultural centers of the state, very largely through the earlier 

 efforts of Mr. Dartt, the first superintendent of the station. 



