WINDOM TRIAL STATION. 265 



WINDOM TRIAL STATION. 



DEWAIN COOK, SUPT. 



We have to report that the trees and plants at this station were 

 never in better condition than they are at the present time. Not a 

 bhghted or a winter-killed twig of a fruit tree on the place, and 

 the foliage, especially of the apple trees, unusually healthy and the 

 trees growing vigorously. The prospect is good for a fair crop of 

 early and medium early plums. The blossoms of the late bloom- 

 ing varieties were caught by the cold rains and frosts and are not 

 bearing much. 



On the whole our apple orchard is bearing fully as much as in 

 1900, the Duchess not quite as much, but the Wealthy is bearing 

 even better than last season and is again proving itself the king of 

 apples. Many varieties of apples are now bearing, for the first time. 

 We have quite a number of reputed late varieties among them. 



We have had plenty of rain so far. The exceedingly heavy 

 rains on the afternoon and evening of the 15th inst. have insured us 

 against early summer drouth. 



Raspberries, both red and black caps, wintered all right, with 

 no other protection than our trees and some snow. They are bearing 

 heavily. No anthracanose. We are now in the midst of our straw- 

 berry harvest, and the crop is a good one. The Crescent is giving as 

 good satisfaction as any. The Bederwood is the best all around 

 home variety but is too soft and light colored to be generally satis- 

 factory on the market. 



Currants will be a light crop. The bunches are not well filled. 

 Long Bunch Holland seems to succeed as well as any. The Red 

 Dutch is not doing as well as it did a few years ago. 



Most hardy and half hardy shrubs and bushes in sheltered loca- 

 tions wintered all right without other protection. 



If one lesson has been impressed upon my mind more than an- 

 other it is the great value of a good windbreak on all sides of our 

 orchards and small fruit plantations. 



Asparagus rust, which threatened to destroy this industry a few 

 years ago and caused widespread alarm, can be largely controlled 

 by clean culture. Use of fertilizers, spraying with bordeaux mixture, 

 or anything which tends to produce a strong growth should be 

 practiced. Extensive tests show that the effect of the rust is re- 

 duced from 17 to 20 per cent by careful spraying. 



