414 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



to contend with is the early flowering- of our fruit trees, followed 

 as it is usually by a cold spell, when the pollen is blown off and 

 washed off under the chilling rains. If we could do something 

 to hold our trees in check there is no question in my mind but 

 what we would be a great deal more successful. The question 

 came up at one time with some parties I was talking with as to 

 whether the flowering period of fruit trees could be held back, 

 and they held it was impossible to do so, that the tree would become 

 active under the warm sunshine and rain in the spring of the year, 

 that it would go on and flower no matter how we treated the roots. 

 Now this experiment I tried was in the sprng of 1897 with a plum 

 tree. The ground that winter froze pretty deep, and along about 

 the 20th of February the snow had pretty well melted down into 

 ice. I mulched this tree very carefully and then watched for re- 

 sults. That same spring in this part of the country on the 8th day 

 of May, or from the 6th to the 8th, the plums were in full flower. 

 Following that came on those cold rains, and a great many of the 

 trees in my little yard had the pollen blown and washed off, and 

 the cool weather interfered with the bees which help to fertilize the 

 blossoms, and I should say the flower itself lacked energy. The 

 result of my experience was that this particular tree on the 17th 

 day of May came into flower. It was held back in such a way that 

 while the other trees on the 8th of May were in full flower I 

 thought this tree was dead, but I examined some of the buds 

 through a lens and satisfied myself that the tree was alive. By 

 holding that tree back for that length of time — it was one of those 

 beautiful days in May when the sun came out with a warm bril- 

 liancy and all nature seemed to be awakening — the tree flowered 

 out beautifully, and the perfume was very rich indeed, showing the 

 high condition of the sex of the flower, and it also permitted the 

 bees to circulate and gather the honey. The result was that this 

 little tree which had never borne before that year produced a 

 splendid crop of fruit, and the fruit was large and fine. All the con- 

 ditions seemed to indicate that if we had some way, either by mulch- 

 ing or some other method, of holding our trees back until such time 

 as the weather is in condition for the perfection of the blossoms ihe 

 flower would show a greater amount of energy, and I think the 

 sex in the act of fertilization has a great deal to do with the devel- 

 opment of the flower. There is no question in my mind about that. 

 The more perfectly that can be done the better the result will be 

 in the amount of energy the tree will have in producing fruit. 

 (Applause.) 



