ANNUAU REPORTS, 



'IrSil ^gtatioi^s, 1900. 



CENTRAL TRIAL STATION, ST. ANTHONY PARK. 



PROF. S. B. GREEN, SUPT. 



The peculiarities of the past season and its unusual severity 

 have somewhat interfered with the best progress of work at the 

 Experiment Station. Last winter was unusually injurious to the 

 tender roots of plants, and, as a result, we have considerable winter- 

 killing of cherries, of one-year root-grafts and of blackberries. Some 

 of our grape vines, too, seemed to be somewhat injured. The un- 

 usually severe drought of the spring and early summer had a very 

 injurious effect upon seeds sown and plants set out in the early 

 spring, and the unusual amount of water and mild weather in the lat- 

 ter part of the summer and in the autumn has had the effect of con- 

 tinuing growth very late, so that many varieties of apples and many 

 of our shrubs have not as yet shed their leaves, showing a rather im- 

 mature condition of the wood. 



In spite of these disadvantages, the orchards, nurseries and 

 grounds of the University Farm are in very good condition and 

 have given us some interesting lessons. The large apple trees, 

 M^hich were transplanted in the thinning out process in the old Rus- 

 sian orchard, on the Experiment Station grounds, one year ago, have 

 done very well. The small fruit crops, including currants, goose- 

 berries, raspberries and strawberries have been fairly good, although 

 all of them w^ere somewhat injured by the very dry weather which 

 prevailed when they were ripening. Blackberries were a total fail- 

 ure with us, owing to severe winter injury, but enough sprouts have 

 started from the roots so that we have a fair stand of plants, which 

 makes it desirable to continue the plantation as it was. The new 

 vineyard fruited very well this year, and I am especially pleased with 

 the Beta grape as a variety for general planting, knowing, as I do, 

 its great hardiness. The bunches are all good sized and very often 

 shouldered. The fruit is medium in size, quite acid, but of good 

 quality. 



