224 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



packages, honest packing", and in this Hes the second and last les- 

 son and in this lies their individual success. Next year's crop is 

 sold from the character of this and warrants our imitation. 



Minnesota and the northwest are not in a large sense apple pro- 

 ducing localities. Success has followed the long and commendable 

 efforts of the few who have nobly stood to their belief that we can 

 and will grow apples commercially and successfully, but as yet we 

 are consumers and not producers. Thousands of cars from east, 

 south and west are shipped in to supply the want. Every apple 

 well grown in JNIinnesota should have a ready sale at good compen- 

 satory prices. Careful packing, good packages, picked apples will 

 attain this result. 



There is never in the season of our Duchess and Wealthy an 

 overabundance of good shipping fruit, though there may be an 

 over-supply of bruised, dirty, over ripe fruit shipped*in in improper 

 packages, and the effect on good fruit may lower prices locally. 



There are in our state and others societies for the prevention of 

 cruelty to animals, and laws are enacted to prevent, and none ques- 

 tion the civilized and just intervention. We should have a society 

 in this state, and in fact in every state for that matter, for the pre- 

 vention of cruelty to fruits. With the one the purpose is to prevent 

 suffering to the brute animal, the other the protection of the human, 

 both in the financial result and to his feelings in the maltreating of 

 the highest creation of nature below the animal. We can not ob- 

 tain any results from legislation, but in connection with this society 

 we can do something in educating and advising the careless and 

 shiftless both to their interest and our own. 



Now, in conclusion, let me say that our Minnesota apples we 

 now grow are the equal of any, although perhaps shorter lived. The 

 Duchess and Wealthy should be picked before reaching full maturity. 

 Pick carefully; pack such as are bright, well formed, sound, free 

 from spot or worm results ; pack your barrels solidly. After facing 

 well use a plank or solid floor to shake and settle the apples, relying 

 on this for making the barrel solid rather than too much pressure 

 from the press, saving the apples from bruising in this way. Mar- 

 ket promptly and early while the fruit is fresh and solid. 



Minnesota can become without doubt a producing state much in 

 advance of what it is now, and while in some ways it would be de- 

 sirable to obtain a good standard keeping apple, do not feel dis- 

 couraged with what we have. The Duchess and Wealthy are among 

 the best apples in the markets. 



Mr. R. Sherwood, of Waterleit, Michigan, has in the past five 

 years set out 3.000 Duchess trees, having upwards of 1,000 in bear- 



