POINTS FOR THE AMATEUR ORCHARDIST. 445 



trying' climate, but think quite a number of them may be success- 

 fully grown in Minnesota if grafted in the tops of more hardy kinds, 

 but their grafting should be taught in the public schools. It is a 

 simple process and requires but a lesson or two to learn it and 

 would be of much value to horticulture. 



Of the Russian apples other than mentioned above that I have 

 had experience with and find good are Bergamont, Lubsk Queen, 

 Watermelon, White Queen and Yellow Sweet. 



Yellow Transparent is one of the first early apples, but subject to 

 blight if planted where air circulation is bad, but, its being an early 

 and heavy bearer, I would recommend planting it if it can be given 

 a northern exposure. 



These are some of the kinds I find doing good, but you will have 

 success with such other kinds as you may find doing well in your 

 own vicinity, and the safest plan is to plant such as you may know 

 are doing well near you; but above all avoid in this trying climate 

 buying- trees from parties whose only interest is to get your money 

 and leave you to repent at your leisure, as too many have recently 

 done around you. 



There may sometimes be a bug on any trees you get, but the 

 "humbug" is the main cause of many farmer's not growing their 

 own apples. Look out for hini! 



I had intended to give some points in planting- and care of trees 

 but now find my time quite limited, and if I have succeeded in in- 

 ducing a few more planters to use the same good sense in their hor- 

 ticulture as they do in their other farming, I shall feel that I have 

 done something to place more of this home grown, delicious fruit 

 within the reach of the fair sons and daughters of these festal prair- 

 ies and in return for the cordial invitation to participate in the noble 

 undertaking of this society to advance Minnesota horticulture. 



THE NURSERYMAN'S INFLUENCE IN HORTICULTURE. 



C. G. PATTEN, CHARLES CITY, IOWA. 



( Southern Minnesota Horticultural Society.) 



If we consider the number of nurserymen who are actively en- 

 gaged in the business in any or all of the western states, or even in 

 the whole country, and compare their numbers with the vast extent 

 of territory that they occupy, one might easily underrate the influ- 

 ence that this class of men wield in horticulture. But I am free to 

 say that I am of the opinion that directly and indirectly their influ- 

 ence is greater than that of all the horticultural editors and writers 

 combined. Everywhere over the broad prairies, in the forests that 

 are being opened to cultivation, away on the outskirts of the newer 

 territories, on the hills and plains and in the valleys of the moun- 

 tains, everywhere the irrepressible "tree agent," directly or indirect- 

 ly the representative of the nurseryman, is found. It is true that 

 in a large way the "tree agent" represents only himself or some 

 "commercial agency," but many of the nurseries keep in the field 

 from twenty-five to one hundred and even five hundred men, and it 

 cannot be denied that this great army of men by their personal and 



