458 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Nelson has noticed that a farmer who plants no orchard, in- 

 tending to buy his apples, buj's pecks instead of barrels, and his 

 family are fed on pies and pastry instead of the luscious and health- 

 ful fruit. His mistakes have been made in setting on too wet land) 

 and of too tender varieties ; has succeeded in raising manj' trees 

 from layers, but discovers no advantage in such trees. S. Richard- 

 son recommended deep planting for the apple, which was heartily 

 endorsed b}' the secretar3^ 



Mr. Prescott, in his paper, observed that our apple trees are stand- 

 ing many months with their roots in dry, frozen ground, and their 

 tops at the same time in dry, freezing air, verj^ harsh conditions for 

 shallow-rooted trees. Has observed that the wild apple has a deep 

 tap root, and thinks it is a provision of nature for ^ supply of mois- 

 ture. Thinks we might imitate nature in this matter to our advan- 

 tage, growing- the orchard trees from the seed where the tree was to 

 stand, and grafting at the svirface of the ground. S. D. Richardson 

 in digging a cellar where 3-year nurser}- trees had stood, found that 

 their roots had alreadj' penetrated to a depth of four to six feet and 

 over; thinks that any tree will send its roots to anj^ necessarj'- depth. 



Mr. Crane in his paper on "The Apple," praised its merits as a fruit 

 and expressed his opinion that as our seasons are growing dryer, 

 we should be careful to plant our trees on the heavier and more re- 

 tentive soils. Mr. Gaylord would encourage the formation of a head 

 well branched toward the south; has observed that in old orchards 

 the "survival of the fittest" have been among trees so branched. E. 

 D. Ames, the most successful orchardist in Mower count}', gave 

 much of his valuable experience in his two-acre orchard, which in 

 1892 brought him $450 worth of fruit. He dumps the manure from 

 his stables rather indiscriminatelj^ ainong the trees and allows the 

 hens to spread it. Is a believer in low heads and little pruning. C. 

 R. Ransom would not allow the ground to be ridged up about the 

 trees; had once bought an old barren orchard in that condition, and 

 b}' reversing the condition and applj^ing manure liberall}', had 

 brought it to a state of great fruitfuness. 



G. D. Barren had raised peaches for several j^ears bj- the method of 

 of setting the tree on a saddle of earth and turning it down and cov- 

 ering each year, partly with earth and finishing with hay; finds that 

 two men will cover about two dozen trees in a day. Mr. J. Smith has 

 found great difficulty in saving the fruit buds on his covered peach 

 trees. Has tried the Tong Pa and finds it no better in this respect. 



The credentials of C. F. Gardner as delegate from the Northeastern 

 Iowa Societ}^ were read, and by vote of the society he was made an 

 honorarj^ member. Mr. Gardner thought that we should take greater 

 pains to study the anatomy and physiolog}'' of plant life. 



Tuesday Evening Session. 



The evening session was one of great value to those interested in 

 ornamental planting. Mr. Parker recommended for avenue and 

 lawn planting the elm, hard maple and linden; would plant fewer 

 trees and use greater care in moving and setting; if setting- in grav- 

 elly soil, would move several wagon loads for each tree and prepare 

 a bed of cla3' for the roots of the tree to rest on, and fill in with good 



