84 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The seusatioii of the entire meeting was a paper by Dewain Cook, 

 of Wiiidom, on " Girdling the Apple and Plum." Unlike the process 

 recommended by Mr. Dartt, he girdles branches or trees that are al- 

 ready in fruit, about August 1st, with the object of increasing the 

 size of fruit for exhibition purposes. He finds that the size of the 

 plum is especially increased b}?- this method, and the ripening has- 

 tened some three to six days. The same holds true with the apple, 

 but in a less degree. The limb or tree is killed when girdled com- 

 pletely, but may be left with a slight connection and will then do 

 service for a year or luore thereafter. The plums by which Mr. Cook 

 was enabled to receive a special award at the Columbian Exposition 

 were grown in this way. 



The Thursday afternoon session was called to order by vice-pres- 

 ident Jonathan Freeman, in the absence of the president, and, at the 

 urgent request of many members, Mr. Gaylord displayed the choice 

 tender varieties of apples which are grown by top-working on hardy 

 stocks in north Iowa, among them being the Jonathan, Grimes 

 Golden, Minkler and Fall Orange. 



A paper of great interest, which Mr. J. B. Mitchell, of Cresco, la., 

 had been invited to read before the society, was then announced. He 

 especially commended the home nurseries and asked the more lib- 

 eral patronage of them by the farmers, who are so generally mis- 

 led by the agents of foreign nurseries. 



Jens A. Jensou has made a good success in raising the Ancient 

 Briton blackberry without winter protection; he trains them low 

 and aims to have them planted where a good amount of snow may 

 collect and cover them. 



The president then called for an expression of the members on 

 the best three varieties of apples for this section of the state, with 

 responses as follows: 



Edson Gaylord, Duchess, Hibernal, Malinda. 



J. B. Mitchell, Duchess, Hibernal, (no third). 



F. W. Kimball, Duchess, Hibernal. Yellow Sweet. 



Mrs. G. H. Prescott, Duchess, Hibernal, Charlamoff. 



J. S. Harris, Duchess, Hibernal. Anisini. 



J. C. Walker, Duchess, Hibernal. Longfield. 



E. D. Ames, Duchess, Hibernal, Ames. 



Jonathan Freeman, Duchess, Malinda, (no third). 



C. K. Kansom, Duchess, Wealthy, Transparent. 



Jens A. Jenson, Duchess, Wealthy, Utter. 



John Smith, Duchess, Wealthy, Whitney. 



Geo. H. Prescott, Duchess, Hibernal, Wealthy. 



When the call was made for the best market apple the Wealthy 

 was favored three to one. The call for best crabs resulted in such 

 a mixed lot that scarcely anything valuable could be gleaned from 

 it. Best red raspberries brought out the Turner, Marlborough, 

 Cuthbert and Philadelphia. 



The blue spruce was inentioned as the most ornamental of all 

 evergreens and well adapted to our climate. 



After the following resolutions were passed, the society adjourned 

 subject to the call of the executive comiuittee: 



Resolved: That it is the duty of this society to warn the farmers of our state 

 in regard to the lack of hardiness of the Honej- Locust, or Acacia, as a tree for the 



