GENERAL -FRUITS. 151 



currant, being- composed principally of seeds. From experience, the 

 White Dutch seems to be the most reliable, as it is a prolific bearer 

 every year. No apples of any account were raised. The crop of 

 native plums was very large. In many cases, the farmers have 

 native seedlings which were exceptionally fine. In fact, the principal 

 crop of frviit was plums and blueberries. The latter were un- 

 usually abvindant and were quite a source of revenue. Large quan- 

 tities were shipped to the market. 



GENERAL FRUITS. 

 SEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 



J. O. BARRETT, VICE PRESIDENT, BROWN'S VALLEY. 



The progress made in planting shade trees and shelter belts in the 

 district where I live is slow but sure. A hopeful attention is given 

 to evergreens to protect gardens and orchards. Owing to excessively 

 dry weather during the developing season, the fruit crop was coin- 

 paratively thin. Farmers yet find it difficult to raise strawberries, 

 blackberries and grapes on the prairie lands to any encouraging de- 

 gree. Other small fruits, such as currants, gooseberries and rasp- 

 berries, are, when properly managed, a good success. 



In my opinion, it is not the drought conditions alone that imperil 

 us so; the fact is, we can obviate this difficulty to a large extent by 

 deeper plowing in the fall, and more frequent use of the cultivator 

 and hoe to induce capillary action, and by ample mulch ing to prevent 

 a too rapid evaporation. 



Taken as a whole, our farmers pay but little attention to fruit 

 raising. They have wheat branded on the brain, but are hopefully 

 waking up from their dead-lock by engaging in what will better pay 

 in the agricultural line, and this includes apples and small fruits; 

 and they will prove a success here when they read our horticultural 

 reports and follow example. 



GENERAL FRUITS. 

 SEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 



ERIC ANDERSON, LAKE PARK. 



As I ain on the fruit committee, you -will expect a report from me 

 of some kind, though I do not know what to report, as there is prac- 

 tically no fruit grown in this county. r4ost everybody says they have 

 tried, but failed. One of my neighbors says he has bought fruit 

 trees and plants to the amount of $40, but has nothing left now. As 

 to myself, lean say that last winter was the hardest on fruit and or- 

 namental trees since I commenced to plant fifteen years ago. I have 

 Virginia, Transcendent and Martha crabs that have borne four 

 crops of apples; all of them froze down to the snow line last winter. 

 I have five varieties of Gideon's seedlings; all were hurt except 

 Florence, which seems perfectly healthy and bore the third crop this 

 summer. I have another variety that bore apples this summer; it 

 had a small sweet apple; I don't know the name of the tree; and I 

 have Whitney No, 20, which seems hardy but has never fruited. 



