Your orner. 
Everything is looking favorable for a heavy fruit crop this season.— 
Clarence Wedge, Albert Lea, May 23. 
There is a good prospect for apples and plums, but everything needs 
rain—Jno. P. Andrews, Faribault, Minn., May 26, 1900. 
Plum blossoms and most of the crab apple blossoms are now fairly out, 
and apple blossoms are just opening. There is a fair prospect for an im- 
mense crop.—E. H. S. Dartt, Owatonna, May 7. 
I am very busy. Have put in 800 top-grafts, 4,000 in the ground, and 
will plant 200 trees. Prospects good for a large crop of apples—A. J. 
Philips, West Salem, Wis., May I, 1900. 
My fruit trees look well. I held them back, and they were not injured 
by frost. They were loaded with blossoms and are filling out well. But 
raspberries were killed to the ground, except new beds set out last spring; 
they came out fine. All were covered lightly. Strawberries are all right.— 
Chas. Kenning, Osceola, May 16, 1900. 
Raspberries, both red and black, that were not covered, are dead in the 
top. The frost apparently did not injure fruit in the least, but most of the 
plums have dropped off, and many of the cherries and apples. I saw some 
blossoms on cherries this morning. Ground that has not been stirred is 
getting dry, while well cultivated ground is moist yet—S. D. Richardson, 
Winnebago City, May 22. 
I have suffered a most severe loss in apples and plums; hardly three- 
fourths will survive the shock on account of the hail on the 1oth of August, 
last year. The trees took on a new growth and blossomed again, and even 
those that fruited blossomed again and kept that up till late in October, 
till killed by hard frost. Those that may survive will be in a miserable con- 
dition —O. J. Hagen, Hendrum, Minn., April 29, 1900. 
Heavy frost May 3; ice one-fourth inch. Early plum was in full bloom. 
I expect no early plums. But the day after the frost was cloudy and cool; 
some rain during the day, which may help the blossoms to some extent. I 
expect no very early plums. All trees are full of blossoms. Grafts set last 
spring are mostly in bloom. Apple trees seem to be in good condition, full 
of blossom. All raspberries are winter-killed to some extent. Bare ground 
all winter. I had one sleighride all winter—Martin Penning, Sleepy Eye, 
May 5. 
We had a splendid drive of twelve miles into Watonwan county yester- 
day, and I was surprised to note the growing interest in tree planting by 
farmers and people in the villages. Nearly everyone has a fine grove 
started about the buildings, with the plantings well made and arranged to 
give the best protection where most needed. The trees are planted with 
cultivated crops and given intelligent care, such as our Horticultural So- 
ciety teaches, and is encouraging all over the state—A. K. Bush, Farmers’ 
Institute, St. James, Minn., May 20. 
