52 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
very fertile soil and in sheltered locations. We propose to make 
one more attempt at growing pears,by planting the trees on thinner 
soil and a more elevated location. Up tothe present data we have 
planted about 500 pear trees, at a cost of about $200 besides time and 
labor of cultivation, and have so far realized from them in fruit and 
premiums about $40,and have left at the present time about a dozen 
trees that promise to live to produce fruit. As our experience has 
been about on the line of others who have attempted to grow this 
fruit, and as our farmers are often importuned by traveling agents 
of nurseries located far south and east of us to purchase the trees, 
we deem it best to make this report as a warning against the exten- 
sive planting of pear trees until further trial finds us varieties that 
will endure our climate and some remedy for blight is found. 
The crop of apples this season was generally been very light and 
the quality poor, the Wealthy and Gibb crab doing about the best. 
Nothing new has fruited that promises to be of great value. 
Up to the last of August, the soil moisture was sufficient to ensure 
a fair growth of wood, but since that date the rainfall has been 
necessarily scant,and the ground is dried out to a great depth. 
The precipitation for the entire growing season was more than 
eight inches less than the average, and also less than in most 
other portions of the state. Trees have ripened their wood well, 
but if we have a severe winter without rain or snow there is great 
danger of serious root-killing. Preparations are being made to add 
about twenty additional varieties to the large list now on trial. The 
Russian varieties, Arabian, Yellow Calville, Vargulek, Stepka, Sweet 
Pipka, Saccharine and Skalanka blighted badly again this season. 
Grapes were little better than half a crop. Thisis generally at- 
tributedito the hard frost that occurred in May. Black varieties gave 
a better crop than white and red varieties. The Worden was the 
best of all, and Moore’s Early and Concord next in order. Of light 
grapes, the Empire State were the poorest, and the Niagara and Del- 
aware but little better. 
Strawberries were treated very fully in the midsummer report, 
page 278 of the Magazine for July. We only remark here that they 
do not enter the winter this season promising as well as last, and 
late plants have scarcely any roots. 
Blackcap raspberries were considerably injured by frost, the 
Palmer being nearly a total failure. The Ohio set very full, but the 
fruit was smaller and of poorer quality than in previous years. The 
Nemaha and Older were the best. The best fruit was secured on 
the one crop plan, that is, on beds set the year previous in rows four 
feet apart, plants two to three feet apart in the row, and thorough 
cultivation given during the summer. As the canes lie rather close 
to the ground, thorough mulching must beapplied to keep the fruit 
clean. The plants are destroyed after the crop is all harvested. 
Only strong, home-grown plants are adapted to this method. 
Of the red raspberries, the Marlboro gave the poorest results. 
The canes were more generally infested with borers than other va- 
rieties, and they also suffered more from leaf curl. The fruit was 
not generally bright and fair and did not take well in the market. 
