328 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A wash of strong- soap suds or weak lye in which is stirred 

 an ounce or two of carbolic acid to the bucketful will destroy most 

 of them. Wherever any of them have got beyond the reach of this 

 wash, dig- them out or probe for them with a wire. 



The "San Jose scale" is the most formidable insect that at present 

 threatens the fruit interests of our state. It will kill apple and pear 

 trees in two years and currant bushes in one. It is not likely that 

 it has got a strong foothold in our state, but we are likely to be soon 

 overrun with it, for our farmers will persist in patrouixing agents 

 who sell trees from infested districts, instead of buying from 

 reliable home nurseries. Watch closely for it. It may be detected 

 on the fruit by the circular purplish blotches, that are very charac- 

 teristic. When a tree or bush is thoroughly infested, it presents an 

 ashy, dusty or scurfy appearance. Badly infested trees and plants 

 should be dug up and burned at once. Wherever its presence is 

 suspected, no time should be lost in preventing its spread. 



Many horticulturists recommend to discontinue the cultivation of 

 orchards, nurseries and shrub and cane berry patches after the end 

 of July. If cultivation has been kept up so far, I should not hesi- 

 tate to continue it a month longer, believing it would help rather 

 than hinder the ripening of the new growth; but if cultivation has 

 been neglected, it would be better to remove weeds and grass with- 

 out breaking the soil after the middle of the month. It is late culti- 

 vation after long neglect that starts the new and tender growth that 

 winter-kills. 



No pinching back of raspberries or blackberries should be done 

 later than the first of the month, and where summer pruning of the 

 grape is practised it should not be followed up any later. This is 

 the critical period with the new strawberry beds. Give them fre- 

 quent cultivation and keep the weeds out. A heavy crop of purslane 

 in the fall means weak, poorly rooted plants and a light or no crop 

 of fruit next season. Encourage the needful number of early run- 

 ners to become strong plants, and after the rows are properly filled 

 remove the later runners before they take root. 



Budding may be continued as long as the bark on the stalks will 

 peel freely. It makes no better trees than spring grafting but is 

 economical with scarce varieties, and if the bud fails we still have 

 the stock for spring grafting. 



Those who intend to exhibit fruit at the state or county fairs 

 should locate the specimens and watch and tend thein carefully. 



Finally, remember the traveling tree agent, do not let him per- 

 suade you that Minnesota nursery stock is worthless for planting 

 in this climate, that Minnesota nurserymen do not know how 

 to propagate trees anyway or what varieties are best adapted 

 for you. Do not invest largely in novelties until you have some 

 knowledge of them beyond what the agent has imparted, and re- 

 inember to examine all contracts and orders carefully before sign- 

 ing your name to them. Figs do not grow on thistles nor strawber- 

 ries on trees. 



