158 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL, SOCIETY. 



NOTES FROM THE FARMERS' INSTITUTE. 



CLAKEXCE WEDGE, LECTUKER ON HORTICULTURE, 

 ALBERT LEA. 



We suspect that there is beginning- to be a wearisome sameness 

 in these reports, and that our members have had about enough of 

 measurements of apple trees and reports on blight, drouth and sun- 

 scald. But we trust that the names of parties interested and more 

 or less sviccessful in our art and some report of their progress in 

 the different sections of the state may prove of value, at least for 

 future reference and encouragement. While at Shakopee, we had 

 the pleasure of spending the night with Osburn Cummins, of Wash- 

 burn,who is particularlj-^ interested in trying to grow some of the half- 

 hardy fruits by bending them to the ground and covering with litter. 

 He also has some of the Russian and other apples on trial. Al- 

 though on elevated ground, the subsoil is of a dry, gravelly char- 

 acter, and the apple trees show the want of a congenial soil, 

 though given excellent care, by their lack of thrift and vigor and 

 inclination to weakness and disease. We noted the Hibernal and 

 the Bode, bearing trees, looking as well as any. Mr. Cummins is 

 devoting much intelligent care and thought and not a little' en- 

 thusiasm to his fruit garden and orchard, and our society should 

 keep in close touch with his work. 



While at New Ulm, in company with Martin Penning and C. W. 

 H. Heideman, we visited the orchard of H. C. Miller, about one mile 

 east of New Ulm, considered one of the best in that section. We 

 found the orchard on an east slope well up on the brow of the bluff 

 overlooking the Minnesota. The trees have held on well, and are 

 simply dying from lack of moisture and consequent loss of thrift, 

 finishing their career with sunscald and general decay. We noted 

 Duchess of thirty-three inches girth, Whitney very perfect, twentj'- 

 eight inches, Minnesota crab in good condition. The orchard is not 

 cultivated and presents a very dilapidated appearance. 



Within the limits of the city, we visited Chas. Wagoner's place, 

 where we found a Duchess tree thirty-three inches, in perfect condi- 

 tion, that two years ago bore twelve to thirteen bushels of apples; 

 also a fine Minnesota, twenty-four inches, not as yet a heavy bearer 

 but in very perfect health. These fine trees have nothing favorable 

 in their environment but are in the midst of a garden and in a soil 

 that seems to have a reasonable degree of moisture, as is evidenced 

 by a fine thrifty plum grove near by, and by the bright healthy 

 green of the evergreens about the place. 



Mr. H. Knudson's place, at Springfield, abounded in interesting 

 young trees in great variety. We noted that he had several seed- 

 lings already started from his now famous Hybrid Sand Cherry, 

 showing that the cross was not violent enough to render it sterile. He 

 has also the seed from other crosses planted, and hopes for still 

 more of value for our climate. Mr. K. speaks of the quality of his 

 hybrid, now named "Compa8S,"in the highest terms,aud we hope his 

 labors maj' be rewarded both by a general recognition of his work 

 and by a satisfactorj^ pecuniary' compensation. 



In the prairie sections of the state, the groves that have become 

 established are very generally used as pastures for stock of different 



