120 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A Strawberry Note Criticized. — By reading a newspaper clipping 

 reprinted on page 76 of the February magazine, readers will understand 

 better the following criticism on it offered by Mr. A. Brackett: "In the first 

 place strawberry ground should be manured sufficiently to last as long as it 

 pays to keep the bed before it should be renewed, which is from two to three 

 years. I don't think strawberry plants are injured by the ground freezing in 

 the fall. It is the freezing and thawing that hurts the plants. I do not think 

 it a good plan to lea\e more than one inch of covering on the plants in the 

 spring. The thicker the mulch of straw or hay between the rows, the cleaner 

 the berries will be. I have seen people who preferred having their berries lie 

 on straw and hay in preference to manure." 



The Present Condition of Minnesota Fruits. — Very meager re- 

 ports have come into the office in regard to the condition of fruits and as to 

 whether any injury has been sustained from the severity of the weather. 

 While it is known that some harm has been done to half-hardy trees, it is not 

 thought that any serious injury has been sustained by such varieties as are 

 ordinarily considered safe to plant in Minnesota. Cherries and some kinds of 

 plums show a little injury, but in general the outlook is a very hopeful one. 

 Plenty of moisture in the ground last fall and a good layer of snow at the 

 time of the severe weather are conditions that may be considered favorable. 

 A few notes from correspondents appear in this Corner. 



Wisconsin Society HAs a New Secretary.— Frederick Cranefield, 

 assistant in the office of the professor of horticulture at the Wisconsin Experi- 

 ment Station, has been elected secretary of the Wisconsin Horticultural Society, 

 succeeding J. L. Herbst, who has held the office for several years. It was 

 voted to give the new secretary |;1,200 and that he should keep an office in 

 Madison and attend to the five trial stations in the different parts of the 

 state. The Wisconsin society can aflford to do this, as they now have an 

 annual appropriation of $4000. 



Apple Seed as a Special Preeium. — We have on hand a limited 

 amount of apple seed mostly gathered from the larger and hardier varieties of 

 apples fruiting at the experiment station this year. It is very desirable that 

 this seed be planted largely in this state for the purpose of growing and origin- 

 ating new varieties of choice apples and seedlings of value. Three ounces of 

 this selected seed is offered to any one of our members who secures and sends 

 in the name of a new member. Please send in a new member speedily, and 

 you can easily secure one by showing what the society has to offer them for 

 $1.00, and we will send you by mail three ounces of this choice seed. It 

 should be left in moist sand and set where it will freeze, if it is not too late, 

 and planted early in well pulverized soil. You will certainly grow many 

 interesting seedlings, and if you want to make root grafts of them they will be 

 very valuable for that purpose. 



Or if preferred one-half ounce of this seed will be given as a special prem- 

 ium when asked for, in addition to the regular book premiums, to each member 

 sending in a new member before the first of April. 



