56 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



PLEASANT MOUNDS TRIAL STATION. 



J. S. PARKS, SUPT. 



The past season has been an off year in the fruit crop here. 

 Apples bore heavily last year; this year they are resting. Plums 

 and small fruits were about half a crop. 



Trees have made a satisfactory growth of well ripened wood. 

 The soil has about the proper amount of moisture to take the trees 

 through the winter in good condition. 



During the extremely hot weather in July fire blight affected 

 several varieties of hybrids and caused much dropping of fruit and 

 injured the quantity and quality to a serious extent. 



Insects have never -before troubled our fruit, but this season 

 several varieties have made their appearance and warn us that 

 heroic treatment will be necessary hereafter. 



Encouraged by recent developments we are trying again several 

 of the half-hardy varieties of apples, plums, pears, etc., that in our 

 early planting all died. 



The Walbridge, that a few years ago died down nearly every 

 winter, is now doing well and giving us a liberal amount of good 

 keeping, poor quality of fruit. 



The Snow is of the best quality we have, and trees appear 

 hardy. 



The Wealthy is overbearing and short lived apparently on that 

 account. 



A variety we call Canada Red is giving good satisfaction as a 

 long keeper of fine fruit; tree appears hardy and worthy of general 

 introduction. 



Of forty or more varieties of long keeping seedlings and un- 

 named apples that are being tested, some are of °reat value and will 

 be reported on hereafter. 



The Wolf River remains the best all-around apple we have. 

 The tree is hardy and out-lasting the Duchess or any other trees 

 of same age on our grounds, the fruit selling more readily and at 

 higher prices than any other fall variety we have. This season 

 they sold readily at $1.75 per bushel at home, while the best other 

 kinds sold for one dollar. 



During a recent trip to New York, Vermont and Canada we 

 found several promising varieties of apples that we propose to in- 

 troduce and try top-worked here, and believe some will prove a 

 grand acquisition to our already long list of choice, hardy varieties. 



