128 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXCELSIOR TRIAL STATION. 



A. B. LYMAN, SUPT. 



Not having made a midsummer report I shall endeavor to 

 have this report suffice for the year. The w^inter 1901 and 1902, 

 being so mild, was a most favorable one for fruit trees ; even 

 those tender varieties that are not adapted to our climate were 

 not injured at all. It was a winter of very little snow protec- 

 tion, yet there was little or no root injury. Wasn't this due to 

 the mild weather? Roots will stand freezing, but when it comes 

 to no snow and a low temperature for some time, that is when 

 they are injured. During the preceding winter there was more 

 or less root injury to nursery trees where not mulched, while 

 those of slight mulch even (not enough to keep out frost) were 

 not injured. 



We find that by far the best roots for apple grafts are those 

 grown from our home seed and not the commercial roots ; also 

 the plum should be grown on hardy plum roots. 



Some had trees injured by mice where they were mulched 

 and not first banked with earth. 



Spring conditions pointed to a good fruit crop here. Trees 

 were in a good, thrifty condition and loaded with fruit buds, but 

 later damp and rainy weather during blooming time cut off the 

 plum and cherry crop entirely, and the apple crop was reduced 

 to an average. 



Storms were severe this season, and there was an unusual 

 amount of windfalls, and much fruit was injured by hail. Apples 

 sold for fair prices, and the apple crop was more profitable than 

 other farm crops. The local fruit association handled more ap- 

 ples than usual this year, which had a tendency to harden prices. 



Isn't is true that in many small places fruit is sold altogether 

 too cheaply, and were a fruit association formed and the sur- 

 plus shipped much better prices could be maintained? 



We shipped our apples largely west, except the Prolific crabs, 

 which we sold at Minneapolis. Those that were not hail bruised 

 sold for $2.00 per bushel and over, the fruit from the one "old 

 tree" bringing over $40.00. 



Hasn't the Martha crab been too generally planted? With 

 us it doesn't fruit except enough to get a few good specimens for 

 the state fair. The writer remembers some ten years ago of 

 hearing the late Peter M. Gideon when asked regarding the 

 Martha, I say "It is a tree of the most beautiful bloom." Isn't 

 that about all that can be said of it? Our Martha trees bloom full 

 each year and do not carry fruit. 



