SOUTHERN MINN. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 457 



C. L. Hill had vsucceeded best with Crescent and Warfield straw- 

 berries, was not certain of the value of Michels Early, had discarded 

 Jessie and Wilson; soil sandy. After setting the plants, uses a rid- 

 ing- cultivator, and later a Planet, Jr. Sa5^s that if we will inquire 

 about the country of those who failed in raising- berries, we will find 

 that nearly all have bought their plants of distant and unknown 

 parties strongly recommends placing something on the runners as 

 they come out to hold them in place and assist them to take root. 

 As a winter mulch, finds coarse inarsh hay about the best; straw is 

 too easily blown off, and wet, heavy material likely to smother the 

 plants. If selling on the market, use new, clean boxes well and hon- 

 estly filled. 



In discussion following these papers: J. C. Frost has found 

 strawberrj^ raising for past twentj^ years a checkered experience; 

 uses mulch a foot deep for his raspberries, has had good success 

 in raising a mixed crop of raspberries and strawberries, the foriner 

 in rows a rod apart and two or three rows of the latter between them. 



At the close of this session an amendment to the constitution of 

 the society was prepared and carried, reducing the membership fee 

 from $1.00 to 50 cents. 



Tuesday Afternoon Session. 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



The president's address was full of encouragement and hope for 

 for those who will plant wisely and care for diligently. He believes 

 in letting the experiment stations do the experimenting and in the 

 average planter confining his choice of varieties to those that are 

 well and favorably known Expressed his own intention to set 

 largely of the Hibernal and top-work it with the choice and less 

 hardy sorts. 



H. E. Nelson, who has pursued a careful S3^stem of bookkeeping 



in connection with his farm, transferred the following table from 



his book to his valuable paper on "Facts and Figures from my 



Orchard": 



"The area of my orchard is two acres, with clay subsoil, sloping- to the southwest, 

 located west of a grove and protected with one row of willows oii the south and west 

 side. Have about ninety trees. The first year I had apples to spare was in 1880. We 

 had some a'pples on our trees before, but they were so welcome t> us that they were 

 soon sone and I kept no account of them. Following is a report of my apple crops:" 



1880. Apples sold from 12 trees, 20 bushels. 816.30 



1881. •■ " ' 12 •• 22 '• 22 00 



188-2. " ■' " 8 " 10 " ; 10.00 



1883. " " " 17 " 25 " IS 10 



1885. " " " 17 '• 2fi'i " 19.20 



1886. ' 17 •• 15;4 " 15 15 



1888. •' " " 34 '• 47 " 39.45 



1889. " " " 10 •' 8 " 8 20 



1890. " '• " 49 " 58 '• 33.30 



1891. ' 8 " 9 " 8.55 



1892. •' '- " 30 " 35 " 26.45 



1894. ■• " '• 30 •' 70 " 50.30 



244 346 $269.00 



Apples used by ourselves 150.00 



Fifteen years $419. 00 



In 1884, 1887 and 1893 no apples. 



This is an average income of $27.93 per acre for the fifteen years, including the three 

 years when the trees failed to bear. On those two acres of ground, I have raised other 

 crops besides, as follows: 



Berries, annually, about 1.50 quai'ts $12.00 



Garden truck and potatoes 22.00 



Apples 27.93 



Total per acre per annum 161.93 



These figure are correct and reliable." 



