472 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



FRUIT NOTES FROM MINNEISKA. 



Four years ago when I purchased my farm I concluded to de- 

 vote part of our time to berries and orchard. We planted of straw- 

 berries the Lovett, Warfield and Parker Earle, from Michigan. The 

 Warfield and Lovett did splendidly, but Parker Earle was not fitted 

 for us. Plants grew vigorous the first season and blossomed well the 

 next season, but got blighted just before ripening, and the berries 

 mostly dried up, and those that got ripe grew so close to the ground 

 that it was impossible to protect them from soiling. Another kind 

 from a neighboring nursery, the Bederwood, was an early and 

 abundant bearer, but the berry on account of its flat base kept the 

 rain too much and fully one-half rotted last year. Corsica, a new 

 berry from New York, was also subject to rot though not as much 

 as Bederwood. Very big size, not so acid as others and drier, not 

 much call from consumers, who don't like the berry one inch across 

 or over. 



Of raspberries we have Shaffer, Columbia and Everbearing, all 

 of them bearing very well, only Columbia needs winter protection 

 the most, but they have big, solid, purple berries up "to Septem.ber, 

 and where canes freeze down the shoots coming out in the spring 

 bear the same season. 



Of apples we planted different kinds recommended in this st'ate;^ 

 of which Wealthy, Longfield. Anisim and a few others showed their 

 good will. One Patten's Greening bore abundantly, but apples 

 proved to be very poor keepers. A Bismarck apple, (a remnant of 

 six trees), which it was promised would bear the first year has not 

 blossomed yet. 



My apple trees are planted on a north side hill and most of them 

 are healthy looking. The soil is a gravelly loam so exhausted that 

 neither oats nor beans would grow profitably because the good soil 

 is all washed away. Blight has not appeared in this orchard, al- 

 though some of the trees planted at the foot of this site, where the 

 soil is rich, have blighted badly. It seems to me trees on depleted 

 soil grow slower and are healthier. I believe our northern side hills 

 along the Mississippi river could be converted into valuable or- 

 chards, when the shipping facilities are handy or convenient. What 

 can be done on these worthless side hills Mr. Yahnke of Winona ha* 

 illustrated in practice, since he has an orchard on a side hill which 

 is a great success and a source of good income. His trees look as 

 healthy and thrifty as any T have seen. 



HENRY HUSSER, 



