THE MINNESOTA 



HORTICULTURIST. 



VOL. 33' MAY, 1905. No. 5. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF SEEDLING COMMITTEE, 1904. 



WYMAN ELLIOT, CHAIRMAN. 



Regarding- the choosing of apple seed to plant, I desire to call 

 your attention to a few recorded failures made by our early 

 pioneers in growing seedlings from southern grown seed. 



Peter M. Gideon, in 1854, planted one bushel of apple seed 

 brought from Illinois, and nineteen years later had, as the result, 

 one tree bearing apples of a very inferior quality; later Mr. 

 Gideon planted seed procured from Albert Emerson, of Bangor, 

 Maine, from which he produced the Wealthy and many other 

 valuable seedlings. 



Again G. H. Pond planted, in 1843, apple seed from Connecti- 

 cut. One hundred grew from this planting, and he said the 

 sight paid him for his care, but being planted along the south 

 side of a fence the snow drifts of winter smothered all but five, 

 and of this number there is now but one, which was taken from 

 a sprouted root and produces an inferior apple. 



Contrast these records with John Shaw's experiment in bring- 

 ing apple seed from Exeter, Maine, and planting at the mouth of 

 Rolling Stone creek, north of Winona, in 1852. From this plant- 

 ing trees were set in orchard, by Mrs. Campbell, and in 1873 

 produced six hundred bushels of fruit. 



The great impetus given to the growing of seedlings in our 

 state comes largely from a necessity or lack of varieties adapted 

 to our climatic conditions. To look back over the horticultural 

 records of the state and compare the discouragements and 

 failures experienced by the pioneer fruit growers with the pro- 

 gressive development of this increasing industry at the present 

 time, is a surprising revelation to many who have not kept in 

 close touch with our horticultural progress. That which was 

 considered a foolhardy undertaking is now an assured success. 



