‘MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 27 
CIRCULAR. ‘ 
La CRESCENT, May 22d, 1873. 
To the Fruit Growers of Minnesota : 
- We have just passed through the hardest winter known to the oldest 
citizens of this State, and there were peculiar circumstances attending it 
that will make it a test winter for many years, if not for alltime. The 
winter set in early and dry, and frost penetrated to a great depth before 
any considerable snow fell. Many losses have occurred to our fruit 
growers by the destruction of trees and plants. We desire to profit by 
the severe test by collecting such facts from the people as will enable us 
to place before them a list of fruit trees that are iron-clad under all cir- 
cumstances, and therefore solicit from you answers to the following 
questions as soon as possible : 
ist. What varieties of apples have you planted in this State? 
2d. What varieties have come through the last winter without re- 
ceiving any injury in root, trunk or branches? 
8d. What varieties have received no injury to fruit buds? 
4th. What is the nature of your soil? Whatis the exposure? What 
cultivation and protection do you give? 
5th. Are you raising any seedlings that are perfectly hardy, and are 
any of them good enough to take the place of Russets, Seek-no-Furthers, 
and other varieties that we are obliged to discard? 
6th. Are you raising pears, and have you any variety that stood the 
test of last winter without injury? $ 
7th. What is the hardiest and best strawberry for your locality? 
8th. What two varieties of grapes are the best with you? 
Notes upon plums, cherries and other fruits will be acceptable. 
You are further informed that this society intends to be represented in 
the meeting of the American Pomological Society, to be held in Boston 
next September, and you are requested to furnish the delegates with 
specimens of your fruit for the exhibition. Please correspond with the 
officers of this society, and they will make known to you the time and 
manner of sending them. 
JOHN S. HarRRIs, 
Secretary of Minn. State Horticultural Society. 
; i 
Mr. Latham—The cause of this universal loss must be some 
one common to the whole State. In some localities the soil 
was dry, in others wet ; in some the ground was frozen deep- 
ly, and in some the snow fell deeply before freezing. The 
only common cause was the severe and long-continued cold, 
which he thinks must be the grand destructive cause. 
Mr. Hoffman does not consider cold the only cause of this 
loss. Has noticed that where his soil has been dry, the 
roots have been easily killed Has lost shade trees from this 
cause. As a preventive for this cause of loss, cultivate 
thoroughly and keep the ground moist. 
Col. Stevens asked if his, Mr. Hoffman’s, experience was 
not that for many years all the tops and branches died off, 
and sprouts came again from the roots. 
Mr. Hoffman replied that he had thoroughly tested with 
fruit and shade trees, and found if mulching was plenty there 
was no danger of root killing. He had sometimes sustained 
