140 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Blackberries planted ou low, wet land were a good crop, but on 

 sandy land, where we used to raise the best crop of blackberries, 

 thej^ were a total failure, drying- up before they ever got ripe, even 

 where they were heavil}^ inulched. 



The apple trees were not hurt last winter on nij^ grounds, but the 

 heavy crop of 1892 prevented them from starting manj' fruit buds; 

 hence, thej^ did not blossom much. Just at the time of blossoming 

 we had a heavy hail storm which tore off inost of the blossoms. The 

 crop of 1893 was as poor as the crop of 1892 was good. I raised a few 

 McMahon White. I like this variety very much; the trees seem 

 hardy and the fruit will keep well and sell well. The Longfield, 

 Duchess and Autumn Streaked are ainong the best. 



The trees, however, made a good growth and are full of fruit buds, 

 and from all indications we shall have an abundantcrop in 1891. The 

 farmers are getting interested in the fruit business, and the call for 

 trees and plants is quite good, considering the hard times. 



The grape crop was the best we have ever had. The varieties 

 mostly grown are the Janesville, Worden, Moore's Early, Delaware 

 and Concord. The Janesville, althovigh the poorest grape, brought 

 in the luost inonej'. We sold them at from 35 to 45 cents per basket, 

 while the better and later grai^es we sold at from 27 to 35 cents per 

 basket. At the above prices there is some profit in grapes, but if we 

 should compete with the fruit shipped in, which sold in our town this 

 3^ear at 20 cents per basket, I would plow up my grapes and raise ap- 

 ples and berries on the land. 



DISCUSSION. 



Col. Stevens: I would like to ask Mr. Keel how many bush- 

 els of apples he raised in his orchard. 



Mr. Keel: I will never tell. [Laughter.] 



Mr. Wilcox: I would like to ask one question at this time. 

 Mr. Keel has brought up the question of weak poUenization of 

 strawberry plants. I would like to ask Prof. Green if he 

 noticed anything. That was one of my troubles. 



Prof. Green: Yes, I think there were some varieties with 

 me that were not sufficiently poUenized. That was the reason 

 the ends of the berries did not fill out any better. I had a good 

 crop of strawberries. The land was thoroughly mulched, and 

 it did not suffer much from drought. 



Mr. Patten (Iowa): Prof. Green, what would you think of 

 the plan of planting staminates and pisti Hates alternately in the 

 row? 



Prof. Green: I think very favorably of it; I recommended 

 it yesterday. I think you get better results that way than in 

 any other. 



Mr. Brackett: About half and half, professor? 



