WEST C^ONCORD TRIAL STATION. 277 



orchard, as they bore no fruit last year. The Yahnke that I set 

 two years ago do not look very promising, as they do not seem to 

 have stood the winter very well. 



Plums and Compass cherry blossomed full ; Compass is set full 

 of fruit, but plums are not as a general thing overloaded. The 

 Surprise is not bearing very heavily this year. 



Evergreens are looking fine. Arbor vitse blighted a little but 

 not so badly as last year. There seems to be an increase in the 

 planting of evergreens each year. At this writing the spirae, snow- 

 ball, lilac and honeysuckle are in full bloom. Poeonies are budded 

 full but not open yet. 



OWATONNA TRIAL STATION. 



THOS. E. CASHMAN, SUPT. 



Nothing of interest has developed at the Owatonna Trial station 

 since my last report. We are going through the regular routine 

 of cultivating and spraying as usual. We have sprayed all the 

 trees at the station twice this season. 



It looks now as though we would have a light crop of most 

 varieties this year. The trees blossomed quite full but on account' of 

 cold, wet weather a large portion of them did not set. 



These wet seasons are demonstrating to us that we must plant 

 our trees on high land that is well drained or carry off the water by 

 installing a perfect system of tile drainage. Apple trees will not 

 stand wet feet. Another very important feature in planting trees 

 is to set them deep. The root is the foundation of the tree and 

 yet is the most tender part of our standard, hardy kinds, and if the 

 roots are not placed below where alternate freezing and thawing 

 will affect them, the tree will be short lived unless well mulched 

 each year, and a great many of our people either forget or think they 

 have not the time to mulch. 



All trees that grew the first year of the twelve budded on Pyrus 

 baccata, are doing nicely, look vigorous and healthy and are mak- 

 ing a good growth. 



After the hotbed has served the purpose of growing plants for 

 the garden, it may be used to grow plants of late cabbage or for 

 the main crop of celery. One other use to which it may be put is 

 to plant cucumber or melon seeds directly in the frames where 

 they may be protected by the outgrow the frames before the season 

 is over; but as the hotbeds are usually in some out-of-the-way cor- 

 ner, the vines will not be unsightly and the yield is usually 

 enormous. 



