SUMMMER MEETING, 1893.. 203 



season, making- it difficult to leave the duties at home, and, heuce^ 

 the lack of time for conference regarding the ^^eightier inatters in 

 which all were interested. That must come in the winter, but at 

 this time the meeting should be more for pleasure, so, while he had 

 invited a few to respond to certain sentiments, he wished all to feel 

 free to speak on these or any other s<ubjects in which thej^ were in- 

 terested. 



Prof. S. B. Green was first called upon to say something of "Hor- 

 ticulture on the State Fariu." By his earnestness, the professor won 

 the attention of all as he "talked a little bit of common sense in his 

 line of work." He thanked the visitors for their criticisms, express- 

 ing a hope that he would profit by them, and then spoke somewhat 

 as follows: 



"I consider that in this northern country the most important 

 thing we can do is to carry on new experiments, especiallj' in apples. 

 We have between 250 and 300 varieties in the experiment orchard. 

 These cannot look like an orchard that is all of one kind and hardy. 

 The fact that some trees have died over there, shows that we are 

 learning something. Variety testing and seedling work with ap- 

 ples is most iinportant. We are raising a great manj^ seedlings 

 each j'ear, and we propose to raise as many varieties as possible, 

 experimenting largely with Russian apples. 



We are also paying especial attention to plums, having some 3,000 

 seedlings. We shall select the best and put them with newer kinds. 

 We have fifty named varieties. We are also testing thirtj'-five kinds 

 of raspberries, and have sixty or seventy named varieties of straw- 

 berries, besides some 700 seedlings, some of which are quite prom- 

 ising. Then, we are carrying on varietj^ testing and seedling work 

 with grapes, having fortj--five different kinds. These are not a lot 

 of old varieties, kept just to say we have a quantity. We have 

 thrown away a great man}-. In blackberries and gooseberries and 

 currants, we are also working. 



Then, there is the sand cherrj-, a fruit especially adapted to this 

 state, althovxgh it has received little attention, as yet. It is useful 

 for fruit and for wine. We have five varieties of the Juneberry and 

 are trying the buffalo berr}-, though this will probably never be pop- 

 ular where the currant is grown successfully. 



We have a group of trees called our forestry plantation. 

 This contains all the different kinds of trees that I consider adapted 

 to the different sections of this state, and we are trying to show the 

 young men their real value as windbreaks and for other purposes. 



We are trying cherries from Russia; and I have an idea that Rus- 

 sian cherries have come to stay. 



With our ornamental plants, we have labeled one plant of every 

 kind on the ground. In this waj' our young men or visitors can see 

 them as they pass along and thus become familiar with the names. 



I have been surprised at the interest taken in horticulture in this 

 section. Farmers are eager for fruit and something green to eat. 

 When a farmer depends on buying his fruit, he does not, as a rule, 

 get any. I believe there is a great future for northern horticulture. 

 We cannot look to other states for precedents. We must build up a 

 sj'Stem of OUT own, adapted to this state and the Northwest." 



