200 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



3. RepIvY. — The trunk and forks of a half hardy apple tree are its weaker 

 parts, and these we eliminate when properly top-worked on hardy, vigorous 

 apple trees. A top-worked tree is also made hardier because of a more or less 

 imperfect connection of scion with the stock. Theie is a restricted downward 

 flow of sap causing the new growth to ripen up earlier, and for the same reason 

 to produce more abundantly of fruit buds, and larger fruit as well. 



Dewain Cook. 

 7. Reply. — Season conditions govern the removal of screens from over 

 small transplanted evergreens. If a hot, dry season for the first year after 

 planting, let the screen remain the second year. If the trees have made a fine 

 growth the first year, the screen can be removed the following spring, remov- 

 ing it after they have started to grow. Wvman EIvI^iot. 



4. REPI.Y. — I have lived more or less in eight different states— and from 

 the extreme northern to extreme southern states— and while I have been, 

 and am now out of the "apple belt" am not out of the "blight belt." Have 

 experimented with the Jennings and Red Astrachan apples here— fruited the 

 first two yeats — and then both sorts blighted to death. Peais went nearly as 

 bad. Think I am safe in answering the question in the affirmative.. 



A. W. SiAS, Harbor View, Fla. 



6. Reply. — If one could be assured of a reasonable amount of moisture 

 one-half inch would be sufficiently deep to plant apple seeds, but as we are 

 subject to drought in this country it is safe to plant them one inch deep. 



A. Brackett, Excelsior. 



7. Reply. — Seedling evergreens that have been transplanted and grown 

 one year under .shade should have the shade removed late in the fall or early 

 in the spring. Do not wait until we have hot suns and then remove the shade. 



A. Brackett, Excelsior. 



9. Reply.— The name "Cinnamon vine" is rather elastic, as it includes 

 many tropical and sub-ttopical species of the Dicscorea, or Yam genus Some 

 are valuable greenhouse plants; the Chinese Yam, or Battata, is generally re- 

 ferred to as Cinnamon vine on account of the peculiar fragrance of its blossoms; 

 it has a large, deeply buried and edible root, which survives the winter in New 

 York and southern New England and might be successfully cultivated with 

 and under the same protection that will preserve the tenderer varieties of lilies. 



One variety, D. villosa, known as the wild Yam, grows in our woodland 

 thickets as far north as the Minnesota \ alley, being recorded from Fort Snel- 

 ling and Mankato, and so should prove hardy in this latitude under proper 

 conditions, though of course not as luxuriant and "attractive as its tropical 

 kinsfolk. Its roots are offered in the seedman's catalogues'under the name, 

 frequently, of "Hardy Cinnamon Vine." F. H. NuTTER. 



QUESTIONS. 



10. Question.— Is there a larger apple than the Gloria Mundi? If so 

 name it and give circumference. A. W. Sias. 



11. Question. — Mr. Underwood says (page 109) everybody plants his 

 orchard too close, but does not state what would be a proper distance. Will 

 you or he tell us? 



12. Question. — Is it true that the only strawberries that .succeed well 

 in Minnesota are the Countess and Crescent, as one man has it? And where 

 can Countess plants be had, as I don't see it listed in the catalogs? 



