92 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



apple trees I have ever seen in the state. I was surprised when 

 Mr. Peterson told me they had never sprayed their trees. I missed 

 the old gentleman much, for this is one of the families which to 

 know is to love and respect. 



I also visited the young orchard of Mr. O. H. Modlin, near 

 Excelsior; it contains 1,000 trees, 600 Wealthy and 400 Patten 

 Greening. It is one of the many promising young orchards in this 

 vicinity. Mr. Modlin is a thorough horticulturist and will succeed 

 if success is to be had. 



I next visited the young orchard of Mr. H. W. Shuman, one 

 mile south of Excelsior, and was shown over the grounds by our 

 genial Mr. Wyman Elliot. The orchard is on a large hill, or, 

 rather, around it. Friend Elliot led the way from the house, down 

 across a hollow, then up that hill at a 2:40 gait. Having arrived 

 at the top, I was formally introduced to his experimental work, 

 which, to say the least, was worth climbing that hill several times 

 to see. Seedling apples and plums galore, clean and thrifty. He 

 told me much about this work — too much for my old head to re- 

 tain, but you will undoubtedly reap the results of this labor in many 

 new varieties added to our list of hardy plums and apples. 



From here we circled down the hill, paying more attention to 

 the orchard. The trees were thrifty and promising, and many of 

 them, though quite young, were well filled with fruit. A plant is 

 being put in here for irrigation, which I shall watch with much 

 interest. 



My own orchard bore a light crop, about half as many apples 

 as last year. The fruit was under size as compared with other 

 years, which was the case in all the orchards I visited. 



My Duchess trees were well filled, as were the Patten Greening, 

 and the Peerless were fuller than ever before. 



My oldest University, received from Mr. Patten in 1892, had 

 four bushels of fruit on it this year. They are fine, smooth apples 

 of medium sixe, bright, golden yellow color, and fair to good in 

 quality. The tree has shown no signs of blight. It is of spreading 

 growth and appears to be very hardy and a hnndsome orchard tree. 

 The apples are keeping in fine condition to the present time. 



My apples netted me from $1.50 to $2.00 per bushel this year. 



There was no blight to speak of, the Transcendents showing 

 very little if any in this vicinity. 



Grapes were a satisfactory crop, and prices were better than 

 usual. 



It is self-evident that in the fifth district apple culture is in- 



