292 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



certainly will work it out. I firmly believe that a great part of the 

 weakness of our trees comes from their root system, accentuated 

 by winter droughts, and think this a most desirable field of investi- 

 gation, as I think each variety has as marked a root system as it has 

 of top. Now, for a good hard winter to relieve us of this octopus of 

 hundreds of new seedling varieties thrust on our notice with the en- 

 dorsement that they are doing well and have stood our winters for the 

 past ten to fifteen years, perhaps even longer, and, consequently, are 

 hardy; while the possibilities are that less than a baker's dozen 

 could, after bearing freely, stand such a winter as 1872-73 or 1884-85. 

 While such a winter could bring wailing and lamentation in de- 

 priving us of our pets and destroying fond hopes built up,yet what 

 a benefit it would be in the end in revealing to us those few varieties 

 there are that we can safely plant. 



The Russians will help to give to us a tree that ripens its wood 

 early in the fall and goes to sleep and is not in haste to awaken in 

 the spring to develop its buds and blossoms to catch the rude 

 blasts of the spring which not infrequently confront us. 



It will probably be an apple that is not a large bearer, but a light 

 and annual bearer, and we must learn to assist nature all we can in 

 supplying food that can readily and quickly be assimilated, both in 

 developing the fruit and the stored reserve necessary to help the 

 tree to withstand the rigors of a hard winter, should it at any time 

 come. This science will give, and through the improved methods 

 will come the fruit that will surprise the old and encourage the 

 heart of the young horticulturist. 



MIDSUMMER REPORT, 1899, SAUK RAPIDS 

 TRIAL STATION. 



MRS. JENNIE STAGER, SUPT. 



The worms came three times last summer, and the last time the 

 leaves did' not grow again on the trees. Last winter we had no 

 snow, and only about fifty trees started to leaf out. Most of those 

 have since died. I suppose what trees the worms did not finish 

 were so weakened that they could not withstand the great depth of 

 frost in the ground. As I knew it was an accident of worms and 

 not of climate, I had a piece of ground with a northern exposure 

 ploughed up and put in order, and sent to three nurserymen who 

 belong to the horticultural society and received one hundred and 

 fifty trees, four year old. Some were plums, but most of them apple 

 trees. They all sent me more than I had reason to expect for the 

 amount sent them. 



Then I received a bundle of plum trees, also some small fruit 

 shrubs, etc., from Prof. Green. At the present time they are all 

 alive and doing beautifully. Strawberries have done well, but cur- 

 rants, gooseberries and raspberries are but half a crop, owing I 

 think to the worms eating the leaves last year and thereby weaken- 

 ing the plants. 



Our flowers this year are gorgeous, the many rains helping their 

 growth and bloom. In fact, all trees, plants and vegetables are in 

 such fine condition that all of us out in this part of the state feel 

 very hopeful. 



