28 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



In the discussion following' the report, blackberries were consid- 

 ered a failure from having- formed no fruit buds. Mr. Reeves would 

 recommend the Recumbent apple as bearing well, notwithstanding 

 frost and drouth. 



Mr. Gardner reported frost in his district as very destructive to all 

 small fruits; they did not sufifer so much from drouth, but the cut 

 worms and white grubs were very destructive to all small plants. 

 The reinedy suggested was deep plowing late in the fall. 



There was very little leaf or twig blight this year except with pear 

 trees Where orchards were well grown, they were well set with 

 fruit buds for next year. He regarded irrigation as too expensive 

 and unreliable with wind power, and a reservoirs as impracticable. 

 The better remedy for drouth was deep plowing in the proper sea- 

 son and then thorough cultivation. President Burnap and Mr. 

 Bixby were of the opinion that gasoline engines would not be satis- 

 factory for raising water, as they would require an expert for their 

 management. Mr. Van Houten said irrigation was practicable 

 where gravitation could be used, but even then would not be found 

 profitable in Iowa for general crops. It might be used to advan- 

 tage for celer3'^ or for other special crops. 



Mr. S. W. Ferris reported fruits a general failure on account of 

 frost; near Hampton some orchards bore fruit; evergreens suffered 

 materially, though escaping in some places. The balsams stood 

 better than white pine. Mr. Mitchell said the arbor vitse in hedges 

 was nearly all killed, but standing alone escaped. 



Mr. C. H. True reported frotn the fourth district. On an average 

 for the whole district, fruits were a failure this year; what little was 

 grown brought a good price. The Cuthbert raspberrj- was hardy 

 and productive. Grapes were frozen in May, but a good crop was 

 grown. Plums did very well; the early varieties were most profita- 

 ble. Spraying must be resorted to, to be sure of fruit. 



Reports of the secretary and treasurer indicated that the society 

 was flourishing and its business matters in good condition. 



Edson Ga5'lord's paper, "Site and Preparation of an Orchard," elic- 

 ited much comnaendation. 



He would not set an orchard on new land without previous crop- 

 ping. All soils needed to be deeply plowed and highly manured. 

 For setting trees he would open trenches with the plow and set in 

 regular rows; then mulch the trees at least four feet, and cultivate 

 the ground everj^ week during the growing season. If planted on 

 sloping ground, he would cultivate crosswise and not up and down, 

 for fear of forming gullies in case of heavy rains. He believed the 

 site to be of more importance than the selection of particular varie- 

 ties, and would reject a subsoil of sand or of impervious clay, and 

 would select any of the high prairies with clay loam soil, and under 

 no conditions would attempt to make an orchard on low ground. 

 He referred to several successful orchards on high land and several 

 failures on low land, where soil and other conditions were, to all ap. 

 pearances similar, except as to altitude. The famous orchards of 

 Waupaca county, Wis., and that of Mr. Philips, of West Salem, 



