PRESIDENTS ANNUAL ADDRESS, I9O4. I3 



old list is about to be displaced with something much better and 

 more profitable. 



The Cherry : Much discouragement is felt with this fruit at 

 this time on account of a large loss of trees during the past win- 

 ter. We think, however, that this loss was due rather to the 

 bad condition of the foliage during the growing period of the 

 preceding summer than to any special severity of the winter. 

 With proper attention to spraying, the foliage might have been 

 kept healthy. We think, therefore, that we should continue to 

 experiment with this fruit, and that considering the good prices 

 which it uniformly brings in our local markets it may be profit- 

 ably cultivated in favorable locations in southern Minnesota. 



The Vineyard : Here on account of past discouragement and 

 the low price of the product, set by more favored sections, we 

 are making little progress ; indeed, there is decidedly less general 

 interest in this branch of horticulture than there was twenty 

 years ago. As with the apple, there is a great need of more 

 hardy roots and, in addition, varieties of a somewhat earlier 

 season. The vineyardists of Europe solved their root troubles 

 by using our native eastern grape as a stock. Why might we 

 not accomplish our ends by using the hardy root of our native 

 western vine? Perhaps the very vigorous semi-western variety 

 sent out by our central station, the Beta, may prove sufficient 

 for the purpose. With us it has stood perfectly while the roots 

 of nearly all varieties near it were winter-killed. Our clear air 

 and warm sunshine are certainly very favorable to the cultiva- 

 tion of this ancient fruit, and with some little advance in hardi- 

 ness and earliness it would seem reasonable to hope for a gen- 

 eral revival of interest in the vineyard. 



Small Fruits : This branch of horticulture is so thoroughly 

 and ably cared for by those specially devoted to it that there 

 seems to be little of general value to be mentioned. It may, 

 however, be well to caution you that it is not reasonable to ex-, 

 pect a continuation of the favorable moisture of the past three 

 seasons. "In time of peace prepare for war." Drought is the 

 great enemy of the berry grower, and, remembering the past, he 

 should be prepared to meet this enemy when he appears more 

 effectively than ever before. Cultivation, mulch and even irriga- 

 tion must be studied and applied in due season, or we shall again 

 see valuable plants and bright prospects wither and die at the 

 very harvest time. Here, as with the plum, new varieties mark- 

 ing a steady progress are being rapidly developed, and we must 



