402 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURA.L SOCIETY, 



AGRICULTURAL HALL, STATE FAIR, 1896. 



J. B. ROGERS, NEWARK, N. J. 

 VEGETABLES. 



Four days spent at the state fair of Minnesota, most of the time 

 in Agricultural Hall, gave nie an opportunity to note soine of the 

 educational features of the exhibits displayed therein. 



From a horticultural standpoint, I consider the exhibit by Mr. 

 Mackintosh of watermelons and muskmelons entitled to first place 

 of all the products shown in the hall. Minnesota can grow musk- 

 melons, which general term includes cantepoles, nutmegs, citron and 

 muskmelons, of fine quality; that is of the very best flavor, thick 

 flesh and large size. (Yet, right here a word of caution; too many 

 exhibitors think size of too much consequence.) Melons can be 

 judged as to purity of variety and quality by their outward appear- 

 ance; but from an inspection of those offered for sale in Minneapo- 

 lis, melon growers cultivate, as a rule, melons in name only, and of 

 a quality unfit for eating and intended only for the manure heap. 

 Pardon this expression, as I use it only to enforce the fact that inost 

 of the melons offered for sale are not worthy of being grown. I 

 have heard it said the West could not grow a good melon. I do not 

 wonder this idea prevails; yet you can grow the finest of melons, 

 though to do so more care must be exercised in the strain of 

 seed planted. Mr. Mackintosh's exhibit proves that quality can be 

 had in Minnesota grown inelons. Itasca county had the best selec- 

 ted muskmelons as to quality of all of the eight counties making 

 exhibits. 



COUNTY EXHIBITS. 



The eight counties making exhibits established the fact that Min- 

 nesota can grow a great variety of cereals, native grasses, tame 

 grasses, clovers, rape, potatoes, stock vegetables and peas, culin- 

 ary vegetables and fruits. What can be grown is now known. The 

 schedule of points for judging drew sharp distinctions between 

 grain crops, forage crops, farm crops, farmer's garden crops, mar- 

 ket crops and miscellaneous crops. 



Illustrations: Cabbage, under eight pounds per head, garden; 

 over eight pounds, kraut or stock. Tomatoes: Traverse county* 

 scored the largest of any, 50 points out of a possible 100; Mille 

 Lacs, only '2.5 out of 100. The excuse given for this low scale was dis- 

 tance in transportation to reach the fair. Improved varieties of 

 tomatoes can be transported 1,000 miles, taking many days to reach 

 their destination. The true reason of low per centage in scaling 

 was that all improved varieties of tomatoes should be picked when 

 they first begin to color and be ripened and colored up in the dark. 

 The cracking of tomatoes around the stem end is caused by dew or 

 rain falling on the fruit after coloring begins. The great loss in 

 tomato culture is from this one point, usually amounting to one- 

 half and often three-quarters of the crop. Old varieties had to ripen 

 on the vine, new varieties never. Tomatoes rotting on the vine are, 

 in many instances, owing to variety. 



