4 
MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. ae ae 
Mr. Bost said it is thought in his locality that one principal 
reason why the losses were so great was because the soil was 
80 wet. 
Mr. Bowerman, of Pioneer Nurseries, Faribault, said that 
part of his nursery was on high and dry ground, and some 
arts of it on low grounds; on high grounds lost less by root 
illing than on low. Lost but few young trees by killing of 
root, but lost heavily by tops dying. : 
“Mr. Howe, of Hennepin county, said some think the loss is 
from dryness, some from wet, and some from cold. He 
thought the cause was the extreme changes of the weather ; 
the extreme cold of January, and the mildness of March, fol- 
lowed by sudden freezing and thawing rapidly. 
Mr. A. Stewart, Hennepin county, says the sole cause is 
because the root is not hardy enough. Has experimented on 
this subject fifteen years. Roots must be perfectly hardy or 
thoroughly protected. 
Mr. Ford offered the following resolution, which was 
adopted: 
Resolved, That names of places of different speakers be given in the 
report. 
Mr. Stewart said his experience was mostly confined to 
Hennepin and Le Sueur counties. . 
The Secretary moved that we suspend the regular discus- 
sion of topics, as he had some reports to present. Seconded 
by Mr. Ford. 
The Secretary read a report from the Olmsted county Hor- 
ticultural Society. The Society was organized on the 3d of 
March, 1873, with the following officers: 
President—Wnm. Somerville, Eyota. 
Vice President—J. B. Clark, Rochester. 
Secretary—S. D. Hillman, Eyota. 
Asst. Secretary—J. W. Mason, Rochester. 
Treasurer—J. M. Westfield, Rochester. 
The regular meetings are held the third Saturday in each 
quarter. Have already discussed apples, grapes, small fruits, 
&e. 
On motion, the report was adopted, and ordered to be 
placed on the minutes. 
The Secretary read the following extract from a letter re- 
ceived from Mr. D. W. Prentis, of St. Peter : 
**T wish to say that there is a man here from Finland, where the ther- 
mometer goes down to 56 degrees below zero. He says high up in the 
mountains, or at quite an elevation, where there is no rain all winter, 
they raise fine apples, and winter apples at that, and also nice pears. I 
thought that such varieties would stand our climate. I learn that twenty- 
oO 
Tae ee 
