280 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Fruit Prospects in Manitoba. — At the Brandon Experimental Farm 

 the Siberian crabs are again looking well. Last year several of the trees had 

 to be propped, owing to the heavy crop of fruit. The Martha seedlings, which 

 fruited last year for the first time, are also in promising condition. The Trans- 

 cendent crab is another stand-by, having proved hardy for years. Consider- 

 able top-grafting was done in the early spring of 1902 with very satisfactory 

 results, the grafts being alive now to the terminal buds in almost every case. 

 Such varieties as the Duchess, Wealthy, Pride and Transcendent were grafted 

 on stocks of P3^rus baccata. Last season's growth averaged from two to two 

 and a half feet. Considerable root-grafting was also done with Tonka and 

 Wealthy varieties on Pyrus baccata roots. This spring, again, the same pro- 

 cedure was followed, and indications at time of writing are favorable for 

 healthy unions in almost every case. — The Farmers Advocate. 



Chances in the State Fair Premium List. — Besides the changes in 

 reference to seedling apples noted elsewhere in this Corner, there are a 

 few other changes of importance. On a peck of Wealthy apples the amount 

 offered has been doubled, on a collection of ten varieties the amount has been 

 increased from $25 to $30. On the collection of apples for professionals, 

 and also amateurs, the collection is restricted "not to exceed fifty varieties." 

 The premium on collections of seedling apples and crabs has been changed 

 from first, second and third premiums to a much larger sum in both cases to 

 be divided pro rata. 



The pro rata principle seems to be popular, and by it some share of the 

 premium goes to each exhibitor who makes a meritorious display. In the 

 flower department there are a number of minor changes The one most im- 

 portant is an offer of premiums aggregating $90. for a table decoration, each 

 table to be 4 feet in diameter and to be set with dishes, etc., as for dining, and 

 to be decorated by the exhibitor with flowers. 



Death of O. H. Modlin. — Mr. Modlin, for some 25 years a resident of 

 the village of Excelsior, died suddenly at his home on the morning of Sunday, 

 May 31st, at an advanced age. Before his residence in Excelsior he was for 

 some years engaged in the occupation of market gardening in Minneapolis; 

 the house he occupied at that time is still standing on Hennepin Avenue near 

 Twenty-fifth Street. At Excelsior he was engaged in part in the occupation of 

 fruit growing. A very careful and thoughtful man in all his acts and methods, 

 he brought about results that were always object lessons of great value to who- 

 ever might have an opportunity to profit by them. A few years since Mr. 

 Modlin planted a large orchard on high land near the village of Excelsior, and 

 this orchard upon which he spent much thought is about coming into beating. 

 The fact that so careful an investigator as Mr. Modlin should plant such an ex- 

 tensive orchard is the best of evidence that the business of growing apples for 

 the market in that region is on a good substantial basis. Mr. Modlin was 

 highly esteemed by all who knew him, a man of sterling integrity, and in the 

 highest sense a Christian gentleman. 



15. Reply. A wrong impression seems to prevail regarding ants on trees, 

 shrubs and other plants— it is rarely they injure them. They are after some- 

 thing sweet. That something sweet may be the honey dew given up by the 

 plant lice, which, as you know, ants care for, or after some sweet exudation 

 from the plant itself. In the case of our peonies, for instance, where we see 

 the buds covered with ants, as far as I can make out, they do not injure the 

 petals, or at least very rarely, but they are simply gathei ing on the bud for 

 the sweet coating with which it is covered.— F. L. Washburn, State Entomol- 

 ogist. 



