S. D. STATE HORT. SOCIETY, ANNUAL MEETING, IQO/. II3 



seemed to be a concensus of opinion that the Compass cherry failed 

 after bearing three or four crops. Mr. Norby said that he never 

 had favored it, but that it had been a paying shrub, for the nursery- 

 man. Mr. Gurney told the story about some sand cherries that 

 were planted on the state line ; those in Dakota lived, but those in 

 Minnesota died. Mr. Cowles testified that the Sioux and the Toma- 

 hawk were the only sand cherries that he had ever been able to 

 fruit. The writers of the papers seemed also to have a poor opinion 

 of the Siberian sand thorn. In the discussion which followed it 

 was stated that the Siberian sand thorn is a dioecious shrub grow- 

 ing from six to eight feet high, with beautiful silvery foliage, pro- 

 ducing a berry somewhat resembhng the buffalo berry. It is a fine 

 ornamental shrub, and the fruit is valuable for making jellies, etc. 

 It is said to be very prolific. 



The Bursota plum was shown at the meeting— a cross between 

 the DeSota and the Burbank. The Emerald plum, a cross between 

 the Brittlewood and the Burbank, was the finest plum that Mr. 

 Norby had ever seen. 



As to winter protection Mr. Cowles recommended wood veneer, 

 but Mr. Whiting thought burlap better. Another member sug- 

 gested that window screen was better still. 



A paper on hedges by Mr. Cowles and another on the buckthorn 

 by Mr. Miller brought out an interesting discussion as to the de- 

 sirability of hedges. Opinions differed. A closely trained buck- 

 thorn hedge was a success at Huron. From an artistic point of view 

 the closely trimmed hedge was condemned. Mr. Norby spoke of the 

 great beauty of the buckthorn when left to grow naturally without 

 trimming. There is a fine buckthorn hedge five miles northwest 

 of Groton. 



A paper by Mr. Newberry brought out the fact that the Russian 

 olive is a most desirable tree all over South Dakota. It is emphatical- 

 ly the tree for a dry country. 



Mr. Norby, of Madison, spoke enthusiastically of the ponderosa 

 pine, and said that he was fully convinced that there is not a farm 

 in South Dakota where plenty of evergreens cannot be grown. He 

 would cultivate in summer rather than mulch, but added that a mulch 

 might be a good thing in winter. 



At the Tuesday evening session the mayor of Groton formally 

 welcomed the society, and an interesting musical and literary pro- 

 gram followed. The Hon. Carl Gunderson contributed an interest- 

 ing paper on the prairies west of the Missouri river. He spoke 

 appreciatively of the scenery and described the glory of a prairie sun- 

 set. He spoke of the teepsenee, the native food plant of the Indians, 



