KEPORT OF DELEGATE. 29 



were on hig^h land. In Minnesota the orchards of Mr. Harris, Mr. 

 Sonierville, Mr. Keel and others were on hi^-h land. Even the 

 standard varieties, the Duchess and Wealthy, would not succeed on 

 low ground. The high, rich clay loams about Clear Lake are very 

 successful; also the higher lands of Michigan, the altitude making 

 a difference in temperature. Close protection by other trees is in- 

 variablj- detrimental. 



A paper on "Varieties and Planting" was read by J. M. Klder.of Con- 

 cord. He would not recommend new or untried varieties for general 

 planting-. They must be tried for a series of 3'ear.s and known to be re- 

 liable. He had e.xperimented more or less for his own information and 

 pleasure and could only recommend so far as he had met with suc- 

 cess on his own place, where he was acquainted with all the condi- 

 tions. The reliable apple list was short; it included such as the 

 Oldenburg, Wealthy, Recumbent and Iowa Beautj'. He had also 

 forty varieties of Gideon's seedlings. They had all borne fruit. The 

 trees were healthy and hardy, and the fruit in size and quality not 

 above the ordinary crab apples. Out of numerous varieties of 

 plums, the Desota, Wolf and Miner had succeeded best. Could not 

 recommend cherries, and pears, though growing thriftily, were killed 

 by blight before bearing. In planting he would use great care to 

 protect the roots of trees while being transferred, would nicely trim 

 roots and top, place the roots in mortar to prevent dr^'ing and plant 

 two inches deeper than standing in the nursery; put them in deep, 

 moist, rich soil and heavily mulch, reinoving the mulch frotn near 

 the stem in the fall for fear of mice. Rotten straw was the best 

 mulching he could use. 



"Care of an Orchard," Mr. Haviland. Could not hope for success, 

 without a good location, good trees and thorough cultivation; would 

 sow buckwheat and not cut, but leave it on the ground; would not 

 water the trees. 



Question: Why would not Eastern varieties thrive here? 



Answered by Mr. Watrous: Because thej* were grown under dif- 

 ferent conditions of tenjperature. They originated in a moist atmos- 

 phere compared with ours. The rains and abundant snow saturated 

 the soil, which did not freeze like ours. He believed all fruits were 

 more likely to prove successful in the place where they originated 

 or when surrounded by similar conditions of climate and soil. 



Mr, Van Houten said origin cut no figure in the success or failure 

 of fruits; it depended wholly upon environment and whether they 

 were adapted to a change of location. California and the Pacific 

 coast produced some fruits in greater profusion and of better 

 quality than they were grown where they f)riginated. This was 

 also true of ornamental plants taken from India to the Sandwich 

 Islands. The natural character of the plant, habits of growth, con- 

 ditions surrounding it. of moisture, temperature and soil deter- 

 mined its adaptability to a particular location without regard to 

 where it originated. 



Discussion: Our trees need special protection from sunscald, 

 rabbits, insects, enemies, etc. Several well known remedies were 

 suggested, thorough cultivation being the most important. 



