NORTHEASTERN IOWA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 437 



NORTHEASTERN IOWA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY- 

 ANNUAL MEETING, 1894. 



CLAKEXXE WEDGE. ALBERT LEA, DELEGATE. 



The annual winter meeting- of the Northeastern Iowa Horticul- 

 tural Societ}^ convened at Mason Citj', la., Nov. 27, 1894. 



The attendance could scarcely be called large, but the papers and 

 discussions were of a high order of excellence. The opera house 

 was pleasantly decorated with flowers and a large display of fruit 

 added inspiration to the occasion. The apples were below the 

 usual size shown at this meeting and especiallj^ wanting in color. 

 A barrel of Duchess, kept in cold storage, were displaj'-ed on the 

 table, and seemed to look nearlj^ as well as when put into the barrel 

 at picking time. 



Your delegate was inade an honorarj^ member of the society and 

 accorded more than all the courtesies usually extended to such 

 visitors. 



Although the season was not a profitable one for horticulturists 

 generall}^ we did not hear a word of discouragement, but all seemed 

 confident that we would be able to adapt our methods to any varia- 

 tions of climate that might come. 



Reports froin the directors being first in order, J. C. Ferris, of 

 Hampton, reports some disappointment with the new things on 

 trial, especially with the fruitfulness of the new Russian apples. 

 C. F. Gardner, of Osage, reports Rockford, Wyant, Wolf, Hawkeye, 

 Desota and Miner the best plums, and the Picea pungens the most 

 beautiful of evergreens — it has been during the past nine years per- 

 fectly hardy. He reports great injury from the white grub on ever- 

 greens from sinall seedlings up to trees six feet high. Mr. Mitchell, 

 of Cresco, reports the Crescent the leading reliable strawberry, and 

 Warfield has not stood the dry weather so well; also, that Schaffer 

 is the inost reliable of the red raspberries, and Ohio and Souhegan 

 of the black. A number of members endorse the Agawam, No. 15, 

 as a good and profitable grape that has been somewhat neglected. 

 Roger's Hybrids should be commingled in the vineyard with other 

 varieties and should be grown on the cane renewal system, allow- 

 ing no canes to remain longer than three years. Nearly all reports 

 agree that sinall fruits were not inore than ten to twent3' per cent, of 

 a full crop the past season. 



L. S. Johnson, of Clear Lake, in a paper on "Strawberries," recom- 

 mends planting on ground prepared in a wonderfully careful man- 

 ner. He plows the land very deeply in July; sows to a crop of buck- 

 wheat, which he plows under when in blossom; and then puts sev- 

 enty-five loads of old manure per acre, which remains till spring. 

 As soon as ground can be worked he uses a pulverizer very thor- 

 oughl}^; then plows under verj^ deep; then pulverizes again and 

 planks before setting plants. Mr. Johnson has four or five acres in 

 berries, and thinks there is no method of succeeding without great 

 care and labor. He keeps all runners cut until the iniddle of Jul)^, 

 allows matted rows eighteen inches wide, raises two crops and then 

 plows under. He frecjuently has the best crop in the second year; 



