UPS AND DOWNS OF STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN MINNESOTA. 369 



of them can be overcome if given the right kind of treatment. 

 Grown in matted rows some seasons they lack foliage to protect 

 the berries-from the hot sun. I have had them blistered and scalded 

 until they were horrible looking things. Give them hill or hedge 

 culture, and you will have rank, heavy foliage that will protect ber- 

 ries from sun and rain, and the berries will be firm, large and will 

 go on any market in fine condition. I would say to the beginner 

 in berry culture to go slow until you have gained some experience, 

 as it is generally the bright side of berry growing one hears through 

 the papers. The disappointments are seldom or never published. 



While I have been fairly successful in growing berries, I could 

 write several pages of disappointments. 



TREES AND FRUITS IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY. 



(A Communication from Rev. O. A. St. Solem, Halstad.) 



In regard to trees I would recommend will say, that all of our 

 wild growing trees here are good. The elm first. For a quick 

 growing windbreak the box elder is very good. The plum ought to 

 be planted as a windbreak and a fruit-bearing tree. Every home 

 ought to have several hundred plum trees in the yard. Select the 

 best from the woods, the basswood, ash and the hackberry. Of 

 imported trees I would recommend the Eup. white birch and Eup. 

 larch. I plant the trees for windbreaks two feet apart in the rows, 

 and rows eight or ten feet apart, the same kind of trees in each row 

 but not more than one row of one kind. 



Evergreens : American white spruce, red cedar, Norway spruce, 

 Scotch pine, Picea pungens, Douglas' spruce, American arbor vita 

 and the white pine, all nursery grown. I do not recommend wild 

 evergreens. A stockman will not recommend scrub stock. He will 

 always talk blooded stock, and a nurseryman will also recommend 

 nursery grown stock. I have tried both. 



Apples : Hibernal, Patten's greening, Duchess and Arctic. 



Crabs: Virginia, Martha. Have discarded the Transcendent 

 on account of blight. 



Raspberries : Hansell, Turner, and Caroline for yellow. 



Currants': Victoria, Red and White Dutch, White Grape, 

 Prince Albert. 



Gooseberries: Houghton. 



