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MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



FIFTY-NINE YEARS' EXPERIENCE WITH FRUITS IN 

 THE WEST. 



S. D. RICHARDSON, WINNEBAGO CITY. 



When I was a boy in ^'ermont I had all the apples I wanted, and 

 in the fall when father made cider I used to suck it through straws 

 — a whole half dozen of them at once so to get it through quickly. 

 The memory of those days leaves a pleasant taste in my mouth yet. 



Mr. Richardson takes his ease under a Wisconsin Weeping Willow. 

 In the fall of 1843 my father moved to Illinois, driving with horses 

 and wagon to Kane county, from Vermont.. Then I missed the 

 apples and grew into a horticulturist. 



I never believed in the pessimistic cry that I have heard so often 

 in Illinois and Minnesota, "You can raise small fruits but cannot 

 raise apples in this country." After I came to Fillmore county. 



