GEOWING THE APPLE IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY. 



353 



At St. Hilaire, a town on the banks of the Red Lake River (and 

 probably it would be proper to speak of this as being outside the 

 Red River Valley, as the country there is no longer a continuous 

 dead level, although it is situated only some thirty miles from Crook - 

 ston), I found a very interesting orchard of eight or ten years' 

 planting, covering in an open way two or three acres. The varie- 

 ties grown here were practically the same as those heretofore re- 

 ferred to, both of apples and plums, and there were also plenty of 

 small fruits, and quite a nice vineyard of Concord grapes, which I 



BEARING APPLE TREE, ON FARM OF JULIUS PLETH, 

 St. Hilaire, Red Lake County, Minn. 



was informed usually ripen there. These trees stand on what seem- 

 ed to the writer a southwest slope. They are fairly well protected in 

 all directions by timber sufficient for the purpose of a windbreak, 

 and the trees were healthy and vigorous, as well as hardy. Some 

 were fruiting, but not very much this year. They have, however, 

 borne well in previous years, I was informed. What was a great 

 surprise to me there was a small orchard in the midst of dense 

 woods, perhaps a third of an acre, full of apple trees from ten to 

 twelve feet high, making a very vigorous growth indeed. Amongst 

 them was the Tetofsky, looking healthier than I remember to have 

 seen it in this region in many years. 



