VICE-PRESIDENTS REPORT, SECOND CONG. DISTRICT. 59 



VICE-PRESIDENT'S REPORT, SECOND CONG. DIST. 



DAVID SECOR, WINNEBAGO CITY. 



The year 1904 is remarkable in that the temperature was lower 

 than the average, and the lowest for several years. The low tem- 

 perature was protracted during the winter months and tested the 

 endurance of trees, shrubs and plants, and some varieties not con- 

 sidered iron-clad were injured or killed. 



It is a fact worthy of notice that the varieties of apple trees 

 recommended by this society passed through the winter without 

 injury, excepting in some instances there was injury to the surface 

 roots where the ground was bare and the trees were not mulched 

 or protected in some manner. 



Rose bushes suffered severely when not covered. Some covered 

 with earth or other protection were injured, and in some instances 

 killed. 



Blackberry bushes when not covered were killed to the ground. 

 Uncovered raspberry bushes were injured severely and in many 

 cases killed, and the yield from the unprotected bushes did not 

 average more than one-fourth of a crop. The same was true of 

 strawberry plants ; mulched plants gave a good average yield. 



Cherry trees suffered severely and were either killed or injured. 

 The Homer cherry suffered as well as other varieties. 



The snowfall was light, and the ground bare the most of the 

 winter, which in part explains the cause of the more than usual in- 

 jury. 



Where vines and bushes were well protected by mulching or 

 earth covering, good crops of fruit were grown. 



Grape vines where protected bore a fair crop, and the fruit 

 matured. Currants and gooseberries were an average yield. 



The plum crop was unusually large. Both the native wild plum 

 and the cultivated American varieties produced large crops, and 

 local markets were over supplied. As a result, in some of the small 

 towns, plums became unsalable, and many were left to rot under the 

 trees. 



It seems unfortunate, if not almost wicked, to have the fruit of 

 such varieties as the Mankato, Rollingstone, Wyant, De Soto and 

 other good varieties decay for want of a market. 



The yield of apples was about an average. The trees that bore 

 large crops in 1903 as a rule gave light yield, while those trees that 

 did not bear that year were heavily loaded with fruit. In parts of 

 the district the local markets were overstocked with home grown 

 apples during the months of September and October, and apples 

 of good quality were sold by the producer as low as twenty and 



