eee io ARR : 
MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 121 
laid out in excellent taste. They were kept clean and well stocked 
with plants from the greenhouse, so that a host of visitors were 
quite familiar with Dr. Ames’ place from many parts of the State. 
Indeed, for many years it was a kind of resort for all lovers of 
beautiful flowers, fine trees and well-kept grounds. 
WILLIAM M’KENDREE HARRISON. 
In the fall of 1859 the Harrison family, of Belleville, Ills., came 
. to Minnesota and settled in Minneapolis. They were in quest of a 
more healthful climate, and being delighted with the country, they 
very soon made up their minds to purchase suitable places for build- 
ing homes, which they did in1860. They all secured quite a number 
of lots, so as to have room for trees, to gratify their love for horticul- 
ture. The place selected by William consisted of an entire block, 
located on Eighth street. . 
This city home of our departed friend, it is safe to say, in a few 
years contained more choice fruit than a majority of the large farms 
of Minnesota. The same may be said in regard to ornamental trees, 
beautiful plants, and garden vegetables. Everything was planted 
that seemed likely to succeed in this climate, regardless of expense. 
Mr. Harrison was continually making experiments in horticulture, 
not for his own benefit alone, but for the good of others who had less 
time and means to expend. The famous Transcendent apple was 
one of the notable things secured by these new comers. It was ob- 
tained from Ellwanger and Barry in 1861. After seeing these trees 
in bearing everybody wanted the kind of crab apples that was raised 
by the Harrisons. They did almost everything they undertook on 
a large scale. They came to the North Star State not to make a 
fortune, for this they had accomplished by years of hard labor and 
close attention to the milling business at their old home. Having 
passed their early years on a farm they still cherished a desire for a 
sort of country life. This they enjoyed in a measure by having am- 
ple grounds about their fine dwellings. 
As an example of what may be done in the way of fruit culture on 
a single block, it is well known that in one season William Harrison 
sold fruit from his Transcendent trees to the amount of some $200, 
besides giving away many to friends and visitors. This, of course, 
was before the appearance of blight, and while the fruit was not 
abundant in our markets. Other kinds of fruits, such as currants, 
strawberries, raspberries and grapes were grown on a liberal scale. 
Large sums of money were expended on common apples, pears, plums 
and cherries, but with little success in the end. 
In the cultivation of our native wild plum the subject of this sketch 
was conspicuously identified. Some of his kinds are very popular, 
and have been cultivated by nurserymen for a number of years in 
place of sorts obtained from the east. The Harrison Peach plum has 
a wide reputation. We learn from Mrs. Harrison, to whom we are 
indebted for the main facts in the life of our late friend and co- 
worker, that a man by the name of Hepp, an early settler of Minne- 
apolis, either discovered this valuable plum or introduced it from 
another State. It is supposed to be a native of Minnesota. 
17 
