396 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



ently brought us to the home of J. A. Howard, one of the younger 

 members of our society. Mr. Howard has profited by the experience 

 of others and built his home upon a hill and planted his orchard 

 adjoining along its crest. Here several acres of mainly Duchess and 

 Wealthy, perhaps ten years set,attest by their thriftiness and health 

 the intelligent care give them. His hogs in large part do the culti- 

 vating, which, I may say, is also the case at Mr. Corp's. The dan- 

 gers of mulching were apparent in a black patch in the side of the 

 orchard, the result of a fire amongst the mulching around them 

 where some scores of trees hold out their gaunt limbs beseechingly, 

 a significant warning. These have been left temporarily for a pur- 

 pose, and it must not be inferred that the owner is not a thorough 

 manager, as everything about the place attested. 



The closing hours of this eventful day repeated the scenes of the 

 morning, and sundown found us descending into Lake City amid the 

 picturesque scenery of the bluS sides as seen through the gather- 

 ing shadows. 



At an early breakfast table Thursday morning, I was grateful to 

 know that the others of our partj^ had been out some miles (guess- 

 ing again) looking up a site for an irrigating dam and had permit- 

 ted me to enjoy a normal rest. Thanks for this thoughtfulness, 

 which was fully appreciated. 



This morning we were to visit the bluff orchard of friend Under- 

 wood and go north on the noon train, but we were all to loth to ter- 

 minate this delightful excursion and prolonged our ride to Nils An- 

 derson's farm on the bluff, three hundred feet above Lake City, to get 

 back to a late dinner and an afternoon siesta till the time of the 

 evening train. 



The bluff orchard referred to has been spoken of before in these 

 columns. It is still young and this side the bearing age, but it is 

 coming on famously, making a fair growth, and in appearance is 

 hardy and healthy. In that elevated spot pear trees look as well 

 as apple, and some of their fruit might have graced the state fair ex- 

 hibit but for the ubiquitous boys who has found out even this "or- 

 chard in the air." Being too steep in large part for cultivation, 

 mulching has been tried,and,as a natural result, the mice have done 

 a little harm the past year, but a greater danger threatens from this 

 mulch, and that is, fire. Suggestions as to safeguards in this direc- 

 tion will be gratefully received. 



From there another winding bluff road, fully steep enough to al- 

 low first-class passengers to get out and walk, brought us to the top 

 and end of the bluff and to the home of Mr. Anderson. He has a 

 young and healthy orchard and other fruits in variety, but what 

 attracted our attention and brought out a chorus of "Oh! Oh! Oh!" 

 was a tree of the Shipper's Pride, a tame blue plum of very large 

 size, loaded with its purple fruit. My memorj' says its age was four- 

 teen 5'ears, but my notes say nine. I believe my memorj^ is right 

 this time, as the size of the trees would indicate that age. The own- 

 er is propagating this extensively for his own planting, and why 

 shouldn't he? This is an ideal place for growing fruit and should 

 be taken advantage of to the utmost. That the bluffs along this 



