MINNESOTA AS AN APPLE STATE. 349 



MINNESOTA AS AN APPLE STATE. 



H. H. S. ROVVELL, MINNEAPOLIS. 



The assumption indicated in the title of this paper would have 

 excited popular ridicule in the early days of this society. That suc- 

 cessful apple growing in Minnesota is a fact is even yet accepted by 

 many persons only with large mental reservations. The following 

 statements are merely the brief summary resulting from a review of 

 pomological history in Minnesota. The past, present and prospective 

 conditions of apple culture in Minnesota are summed up largely 

 from the experience and observations of horticultural pioneers, with 

 some personal conclusions. For purposes of brevity, the detailed 

 elaboration of facts given is here omitted. The outline only is pre- 

 sented, under thirteen heads, as follows : 



1. Minnesota an apple state, as a fact. Through half a cen- 

 tury of experimental work by pioneer horticulturists, at a sacrifice 

 of millions of dollars, the fact that Minnesota is an apple state has 

 been demonstrated. The orchard "funerals" in Minnesota, follow- 

 ing the "test winters" of 1855-6, 1872-3, 1884-5 ^"<^ 1898-9 have 

 been valuable object lessons. The "survival of the fittest" is the re- 

 sult. Early and repeated failures have been made the stepping stones 

 to final success. 



2. Convincing exhibits of Minnesota apples. About i,ooo 

 plates of apples are now exhibited by this society, and more than 

 3,000 plates shown at the state fair, representing more than 300 

 named varieties, disproving the opinion expressed by Horace Gree- 

 ley, in 1865, that Minnesota could "never raise apples." 



3. Secret of pomological success in Minnesota. Success in 

 apple growing in Minnesota comes from the origination of new va- 

 rieties naturally adapted to this climate. Climatic conditions are 

 here similar to those in central Russia, where apples are successfully 

 grown, and Minnesota has the advantage of having over 5,000 

 square miles of water surface in its many lakes. The latitude is 

 right for the production of apples of a superior quality. What is 

 needed is the development of the right varieties. 



4. Minnesota leads in experimental apple culture. Minne- 

 sota now takes front rank in its development of seedling apples, hav- 

 ing recently won, for the second time, the highest honors from the 

 American Pomological Society, for success in apple culture. Ten 

 thousand seedlings were sent out about fifteen years ago by Peter 

 M. Gideon, and from these are being developed many new varieties. 

 Many of the pioneer horticulturists of Minnesota are engaged in 

 similar work, and the results of their efforts indicate great possibil- 

 ities for the future. 



