NOTES FROM THE FARMERS INSTITUTE. 65 



NOTES FROM THE FARMERS INSTITUTE. 



CLAKli.NCI:; UlilXJi:, IIOKTICU LTU K AL LliCTL" KK W. 



While at Echo, in Yellow Medicine Co., throug-h the kindness of 

 Mr.'C. H. Pliillips, we had the pleasure of visiting one of the finest 

 orchards of its size we have seen in the state. It is on the farm of 

 Mr. Julius Frank, (P. O., Wood Lake) eight miles from Echo, and 

 comprises about forty trees of our best old varieties, that have been 

 planted seventeen years and have been very profitable. Two hun- 

 dred dollars worth of fruit was sold from these trees in 1892, and 

 they have borne one good crop since. The larger share of the trees 

 are in perfect condition; those that are diseased have mainly become 

 so through lack of protection from sunscald. We made the follow- 

 ing notes: Twelve Duchess, some measuring 24 in. in girth, most of 

 them looking very tine; one tree has borne eleven bushels in a single 

 year; one Minnesota, trimmed 4 ft. high and leaning to the north in 

 perfect condition, 24 in. in girth, very fruitful; one Transcendent, 32 

 in. in girth, perfect condition; one Whitney, 18 in. sunscalded; one 

 Beecher"s Sweet, 20 in., perfect tree, good bearer: one Early Straw- 

 berry, 2.'i in., good condition; another fine old Beecher's Sweet, 'S2 in., 

 perfect condition, spread of branches 21 feet. Take it all through the 

 orchard, there are few vacancies, and a grand good even lot of trees. 

 When we consider that this orchard is located on the open prairie, 

 142 miles west of St. Paul, on a south slope, what a wonderlul encour- 

 agement it is to all in the south half of the state who desire a good 

 home orchard! Mr. Frank has a fine grove on the north and west of 

 the orchard, planted no doubt at about the same time, and many 

 things about his place indicate that he possesses good horticul- 

 tural sense. We were delighted to look over his grove ot an acre 

 or more of thrifty white ash. The trees are planted about four feet 

 each way and are nearly keeping up with the softer woods that are 

 mixed with them. This fine ash grove will no doubt be a perma- 

 nent monument to the good sense of the planter. 



While at Madison, Lac Qui Parle Co., within a few miles of the 

 Dakota line, we were much pleased to find so man}' good thrifty 

 shade trees planted about the village lots, among them healthy, 

 bright looking trees of the Scotch pine, that pioneer of the evergreen 

 tribe. Much of this pleasant state of things was said to be due to 

 the fact that Mr. C. H. Siljan has established a good home nursery 

 near the citj-. We heard only good words for this pioneer nursery- 

 man, and were very sorry that we were not able to make his 

 acquaintance or inspect his premises. 



While at Madison we also saw some thrift}' young apple trees, and 

 were told that a Mr. M. C. Chamberlain, of Lac Oui Parle, had suc- 

 ceeded in raising several Ijushels of standard apples. In a grove on 

 the Munson place near Clarkfield, we were pleased to lind a mixture 

 of ash and elm among the box elder and soft maple, that comprise 

 the most of the grove, contrarv to the usual idea that ash is too slow 

 a tree for the hurrj'ing West. We found both ash and elm well uj) 

 with the other trees. 



W^hile at Morton, on the Minnesota river, we were interested in 

 rambling over the granite clilTs near the quarries. We noticed the 



