184 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The berberry (red-fruited) is a fine shrub, that is hardy; it looks 

 fine in the fall and early winter with its load of red fruit. The 

 high bush cranberry is a shrub that should not be overlooked; it is 

 ornamental, and the fruit is good for jelly. 



CONIFERS. 



I have but few varieties of these. The arbor vitaes I find hard to 

 get started; I think thej' root too near the surface and dry out. I 

 have two trees, set the spring 1880, that are doing very well; the}'' 

 have been kept well nitxlched with stable manure most of the time 

 since; but the ten thousand seedlings put out two years ago are d3ang 

 off fast; I don't think thej^ are adapted to our soil and climate. The 

 Scotch pine does well here and grows rapidly with good culture. I 

 consider it our most successful evergreen for windbreaks; this 

 could be properl}^ called the pioneer evergreen. The white pine, 

 while not so well tested, is doing well so far. The Austrian pine 

 holds its green color well and maj^beoneof our successful conifers. 

 The dwarf mountain and juniper are hardy, and hold their 

 green color well. The Norway spruce is doing finely. It does not 

 grow as rapidl}^ as the Scotch pine, but for ornamental purposes as 

 well as for windbreak it is excellent. 



The white spruce should take front rank for ornamental purposes- 

 I consider it superior to the Norway spruce and, like that variety, it 

 is easily transplanted and holds its green color remarkably well. 



In conclusion, I will say my thanks are due to Prof. S. B. Green, 

 for his painstaking care in keeping this station supplied with stock 

 to carry on this experimental work with. 



ALBERT LEA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



CLARENCE WEDGE, SUPT. 



At our station, the past winter showed its effects upon the points 

 of growth of nearly all varieties of the apple, particularly on year- 

 ling nursery trees. Among the latter, about the only variety that 

 generally started from the terminal bud last spring was the Vir- 

 ginia crab. 



Of the orchard trees planted two years or over, the varieties of 

 Russian origin in general appeared to have the hardest wood and 

 showed the least discoloration. Trees of the Sweet Pippin (321), Blue 

 Anis (382), the Antonovka and Arthur were clear and bright to the 

 very tips. The first mentioned is a sweet apple of good size and 

 choice quality, that ripens two weeks before the Duchess; it has 

 never shown blight, and, if it proves a good bearer, will be a valu- 

 able variety. The last mentioned is an American seedling that 

 gives promise of as great, if not greater, hardinetsS than any other 

 seedling on trial. The Haas and Roman Stem were killed back, as 

 were also trees of the Peerless. The latter did not seem to lose any 

 vitality, however, making a good growth the current season. 



Very few of the trees in orchard bore even specimen apples the 

 past season, arid, as there was little or no blight or other disease 



