§54 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETV. 



GROWING HALF-HARDY FRUITS. 



J. R. CUMMINS, WASHBURN. 



Under conditions prevailing in this state, we cannot clearly 

 decide what is hardy and what is not. With a range of tempera- 

 ture of 90° to 100° above to 20° and 50"^ below zero every year, long 

 periods of drought, a dry atmosphere and high winds, sudden 

 changes of temperature in the winter and quite often poor cultiva- 

 tion, we cannot say that any fruit trees or plants are perfectly hardy 

 in the northwest. Of the apple, very few varieties are perfectly 

 hafdy. The Yellow Sweet seems to be more so than even the Hi- 

 bernal. While the Duchess may be generally hardy, it is not in all 

 locations. Without any doubt many of the new seedlings, hybrids 

 and apples originating in the state w'ill endure the climatic changes 

 better than those we have been growing. The successful growing 

 of some varieties of apples from the south, for some years, has been 

 very encouraging. Many varieties supposed to be tender have 

 come through in good shape. Among these is the Jonathan, though 

 some injured in the winter of 1898 and "99 — Feb. 9th, 20° to 40° be- 

 low, and for fourteen days previous to Feb. 12, below zero — not 

 at all injured last winter — 20° below. This year the tree has made 

 a good growth. Scotts Winter, Iowa Blush, Red Warrior, Mann 

 and others came through the last winter in good condition. 



The growing of some varieties of the pear is promising. The 

 Russian varieties seem to be perfectly hardy, not injured any in 

 1898 or '99. The Flemish Beauty, Seckel and Wilder were injured 

 on the limbs and top but the body was not. Bessemianka proved 

 hardy. Kiefer, some protected, not injured — came through last 

 winter not protected, and fruited this summer. Flemish Beauty 

 fruited this summer, not protected last winter. All dwarf pears (on 

 quince roots) were entirely killed last winter, owing to the roots 

 being hurt, as were also several hundred grafted two-year apple and 

 hybrid trees. 



The quince may be grown but will need protection, particularly 

 the roots, in a winter of not much snow. There is not much encour- 

 agement in growing the peach; even if good protection has brought 

 the tree through, unfavorable weather will destroy the bloom in 

 the spring. 



While the native plum tree is perfectly hardy grafted on roots 

 of the wild, there is a failure quite often of the fruit, from unfavor- 

 able weather at blooming. The crop of plums this year (1900) was 

 the largest, perhaps, ever grown in the state. The conditions prevail- 

 ing in the spring were very favorable for the first setting. Cheney, 



