MEDICINE FOR TREE SHARKS. 351 



MEDICINE FOR TREE SHARKS. 



J. p. ANDREWS, FARIBAULT. 



The state of Minnesota makes an annual appropriation to this so- 

 ciety for the diffusion of horticultural knowledge and the encour 

 ag-enaent of fruit growing- in the state and throughout the northwest. 

 This appropriation is carefully expended in such ways and by 

 such means as are best calculated to attain the desired results, but, 

 liberal as it is, it represents only a small share of the expense and 

 energy put forth bj'^ this society and the lovers of fruit for the en- 

 couragement of fruit culture in our midst. 



In accepting this annuity we place ourselves under obligations to 

 do what we can to advance and encourage every true horticultural 

 interest. That the society has succeeded so well is a matter of con- 

 gratulation, and the old wheel-horses w^ho were harnessed in thirty 

 years ago or more may well feel proud of the abundant success thej^ 

 have attained. It has not been altogethera smooth road; there have 

 been many obstacles in the way — cold winters, hot summers, 

 drought, blight, insect foes. We have had to learn how best to pro- 

 tect our trees and plants from the depredations of all these enemies. 

 We can cover from the cold of winter, irrigate in droughty sum- 

 mers, spray with insecticides and fungicides for insects and fungous 

 diseases; we can mound up for the mice, and poison the rabbits: 

 we can dig out and kill the flat headed borer. But what will we do 

 with that other "tree borer?" There is no use of wasting time on 

 him with the spray pump, for his element is " concentrated lie,' 

 and he is certainly one of the most discouraging stumbling blocks 

 in the way of horticulture at the present time. Some are acclim- 

 ated better than the stock they sell, and stay with us winter and 

 summer; others come north with the geese in the spring and, like 

 them also, get fat on the "greens " of our state and then migrate to 

 a more congenial clime for winter. 



A few years ago there was a law passed calculated to check fraud- 

 ulent work in the nursery business, but it was in some respects 

 unconstitutional; since then our state has been invaded by agents 

 with a mad passion for money — money at any cost — and vitterly 

 reckless of the means bj^ which they obtain it. 



If we have got to be robbed by road agents, we prefer the ones who 

 do the job up quickly, who leave no worthless trees on hand for us 

 to plant and care for only to be destroyed by the first severe winter. 



It seems after going to all this trouble and expense to teach the 

 people how best to grow fruit, there should be a way to reach those 

 who are disposed to improve their places with trees and plants, and 

 in consequence of your encouragement and a favorable disposition 

 on their part fall an easy prey to the tree man who will make the 

 biggest claims for his trees or, in other words, tell the biggest lies. 



You may ask, why should we shield the purchasers of trees any 

 more than we would buyers of other goods? It is the purpose of the 

 state, and especially of this association, to foster this industry; it is 

 health to the consumer, and wealth to the state if we can supply 

 even our home demand for fruit and save the hundreds of thousands 



