200 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the aggregate demands. Special mention should be made of the material as- 

 sistance rendered the society by Hon. W. W. Bard well, a member from Minneap- 

 olis, a native of Excelsior — whose acquaintance with the society and many 

 of its members made him especially willing to serve us in this way. His 

 watchful care of our interests is highly appreciated. As this legislation was 

 all enacted the last day or two of the session, while there was no opposition 

 to it in the legislature there was danger through inadvertance or oversight it 

 might turn out unfortunately, and too late to be corrected. As far as we 

 know, there was no opposition to the society developed in either house. 



With this material increase in our funds and in the number of our reports, 

 the society should enter upon a new era in its history, and to this end the 

 united effort of its membership is invited. 



ExPERiMENT.s WITH Pyrus Baccata STOCKS.— For the purpose of con- 

 ducting an extensive and, it is hoped, conclusive experiment as to the value 

 of orchard trees in this climate budded upon Pyrus baccata stocks at the 

 crown, a dozen trees, including two Charlamoff , two Wealthy, two Duchess, 

 three Hibernal and three Patten's Greening, have been sent by Prof S. B. 

 Green to each of the eleven trial stations of the society, and also to Rev. O. 

 A. Th. Solem, of Halstad, and Rev. J. B. Katzner, of Collegeville, as represent- 

 ing sections not well covered by the society trial stations. These trees are two 

 years old. They are accompanied by instructions as to planting, care, etc., 

 of which the following is a copy: 



Conditions to be observed in planting and caring for Pyrus baccata 

 budded trees, twelve in number, sent to each trial station of the Minnesota 

 State Horticultural Society, spring of 1905. 



1. Plant not less than sixteen feet apart and deep enough so that when 

 the ground has settled they will stand one or two inches deeper than they 

 stood in the nursery. 



2. Cut back so they will branch to form a head not higher than two feet 

 from the ground and do no severe pruning thereafter. 



3. Give the ground good cultivation throughout the entire seafon and 

 do not mulch at all. 



4. Number and keep a record of each tree, showing year of first blossom- 

 ing, of first fruitage, annual growth, and amount of annual fruitage, injury 

 from blight, disease or insects or other cause; and with the annual report of 

 your station make a special report of the.se twelve trees showing all the above 

 facts as to each tree, reporting also as to weather conditions for the year. 



5. In first annual report after planting state any important facts per- 

 taining to location where planted, as character of soil, slope of ground, pro- 

 tection from winds, elevation, etc. 



6. Do not spray until instructions are sent out thereto, as the purpose is 

 to make this experiment in as many essential particulars as possible a uni- 

 form one. 



N. B. It is hoped by this experiment to secure very definite results as to 

 the value of this process of budding standard apple trees on Pyrus baccata 

 seedlings at the crown to produce orchard trees for this region. The finality 

 of the experiment will depend largely upon the fidelity with which these in- 

 structions are carried out. 



