64 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



that the trouble with trees killing was due to the tender roots ; so I. 

 tried some experiments in root-grafting, and this fall I have Char- 

 lamofif. Longfield, Hibernal and Wealthy bearing, and the trees from 

 which the cions were taken are all dead. This method of grafting 

 brings trees into bearing very early, only four years from root-grafts, 

 and makes a strong, healthy tree that will stand the test winters, but 

 is harder to work than the ordinary method. Such trees could not 

 be sold for less than $i.oo each. The root of a tree is not as hardy 

 as the body or limbs. Wishing to bring some seedlings into early 

 bearing I worked them on large trees and the cions grew, but the 

 seedling trees from which the cions were taken never showed any 

 life. The past winter (1899-1900) was mild, only 27° below zero, 

 but the ground was bare a greater part of the winter, and apple roots 

 were killed about ten inches deep. The best protection I have tried 

 is six inches of strawy manure and four inches of dirt on top, around 

 each tree as far out as the branches extend. 



Those twenty plates of small apples you see before you are seed- 

 lings from Transcendent seed ; they are all small, but there are some 

 nice little eating apples among them, but the best part of them is that 

 they have a hardy root under them. Not one of them was injured 

 in the least the past winter. They come into bearing early and are 

 strong growers ; I shall work a number of our large apples on them 

 next season for experiment. Those small yellow crabs are the true 

 Siberian. I know these roots are all right, for we have old trees 

 thirty-five and forty years old that are sound today and bearing im- 

 mense loads of fruit. I have in hand a number of experiments with 

 those also. 



The cherries all went out except those I had worked on hardy 

 stock, and those were in bearing this summer. Our orchard is in 

 a very severe situation, exposed to the north and west winds and 

 very low. We had thirty varieties of cultivated plums in bearing 

 this season, which gave us eleven bushels of very fine fruit. Several 

 seedlings came into bearing this year ; three of those are valuable. 

 One is a late, blue plum and very fine for sauce and canning, medium 

 size, very early and a good bearer. The Sweet Gage was in bearing 

 this season. This was sent me from Canada. It will be very valu- 

 able here if the tree proves hardy. It comes into bearing early. 



Another fruit is in bearing this year, which is late, a good bearer, 

 has a peculiar pleasant flavor, very different from the plum, and has 

 a pit like a hybrid cherry. It is the best cooking plum we have tried. 

 I have a box of the fruit kept in a common cellar in good condition 

 until Oct. 20, and expect to have some at annual meeting. All plums 



