232 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



longing for fresh air, freedom, and nature. This movement con- 

 tinually increases in strength. In New York it has caused the 

 state to acquire 1,200,000 acres in the Adirondacks for public 

 use, at great expense, a single appropriation of $1,000,000 being 

 made in one year for this purpose. Already the accommodations 

 at Walker, on Leech Lake, are stretched beyond their capacity. 

 Thousands come from Chicago and St. Louis every summer to 

 Minnesota, and other thousands will come, and this park with 

 its pine will become the Mecca of these fresh air pilgrims, just 

 as fast as they learn about it and can be sure of their accommoda- 

 tions. 



Does any sane man doubt the truth of these assertions? 

 Leech Lake is completely surrounded by Indian allotments, ex- 

 cept for a few scattered forties, and the park lands are therefore 

 selected about Cass Lake. It is confidently predicted that the 

 park, small as it is, will prove a source of permanent revenue and 

 prosperity to the region. 



FRUITS IN MANITOBA. 



D. AV. BUCHANAN, WINNIPEG. 



Strawberries can be grown with good results in Manitoba, 

 notwithstanding statements often made to the contrary. Great 

 care, however, is necessary to provide against spring drouth. 

 By heavy winter mulching, after the ground has been frozen 

 quite hard, and leaving the cover on as late as possible in the 

 spring, and then only removing sufficient to permit the plant to 

 grow through, leaving spaces between rows well covered, the 

 moisture is retained in the ground. The plants are by this pro- 

 cess retarded in the early part of the season and come on faster 

 when they do get a start, thus lessening the danger from spring 

 frost. Last season was about as unfavorable in the Red River 

 Valley section of Manitoba as it well could be, owing to pro- 

 longed drouth, but we nevertheless had a fair crop of berries 

 from the old rows, which stood the drouth better than the looser 

 soil of the newer planting of the previous year. 



Raspberries were a good crop all around — better than the 

 wet season of 1902 — with constant surface cultivation or heavy 

 mulching between rows — I tried both plans. Turner and Phila- 

 delphia (red) and Caroline (yellow) produced a good crop with- 

 out cover. 



Currants and gooseberries were a fine crop. Of the latter 

 Houghton is hardy and Downing and Smith's Improved fairly 

 hardy without cover, in protected locations. 



De Soto plums were frozen on the trees^ quite green, on 

 Sept. 14th. Trees are hardy, but fruit too late in ripening for 

 Manitoba. The Aitkin is the only plum I know of which is safe 

 here. It was ripe with me about Sept. ist. 



