382 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



all my plants. The dewberry is an exception. I pay very little at- 

 tention to them. After covering them a year or two and without 

 success, I tried letting them have their own way, with only a slight 

 covering, and they came through the winter all right and gave us 

 some very nice fruit but not enough to be very profitable. 



With grapes I am not a success either manipulating the soil or 

 covering for protection. I always lay them down and cover with 

 soil, and while a majority would come through winter and get a 

 fair start they would die before fall. It might have been owing 

 to extreme drouth or the ground becoming too dry before freezing. 



Southwest Minnesota is somewhat subject to drouths. With 

 any small fruit and its protection for winter one must consider the 

 location, the surroundings or natural protection, if any, etc. My 

 berry nurseries and garden are located on a hill protected on all 

 sides on the northeast and east by groves and hedges. In my 

 opinion all berry gardens should be located in a protected or shel- 

 tered place, or at least they should be the better for it. 



I do not think the question of winter-killing is near as essential 

 as the question of irrigation, especially in southwest jNIinnesota. 

 If we had the moisture in the soil to begin the winter, with the 

 protection named I believe they would come through all right. 

 Some seasons when my black caps come through the winter all 

 right and set a good crop of fruit, even with continued cultivation 

 they will dry up and become hard and not plump or well filled. 

 Seasons like this and followed by a dry fall or with little moisture, 

 it is hard to protect from winter-killing. While with seasons of a 

 reasonable amount of moisture from spring to late fall, small fruits 

 protected in this way will come through the winter in good shape. 



Mr. W. L. Taylor : For several years I have raised raspberries 

 without covering, and by simply cultivating the ground during the 

 summer, say twice a week, I would have sufficient moisture in the 

 soil to carry them through without covering. I have raised im- 

 mense crops of berries without covering. 



The President : Does this apply to all kinds of raspberries or 

 only to one or two select kinds? 



Mr. W. L. Taylor : I had about a dozen different varieties, and 

 they all came through in good shape. 



Mr. J. W. Murray : Did you ever try to cultivate very late ? 



Mr. W. L. Taylor : That was the idea ; I found that an advan- 

 tage. 



The President : Another question. The vines may not have 

 been killed, but the buds may have been so injured that a good crop 

 would not result. 



