MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 85 
CONDITION AND PROSPECTS OF HORTICULTURE IN MEEKER COUNTY. 
LITCHFIELD, Jan. 18, 1876. 
C. Y. Lacy, Secretary : 
Dear Sir :—Being the only nurseryman on the open prairie west of the 
‘* Big Woods,” my experience may not be unprofitable to fruit-growers 
throughout the State. 
The Hard Winter. 
Four years ago the coming spring, I put in all kinds of apples that were 
then grown in the State, both root-grafts and orchard trees, such as Duchess, 
Tetofsky, Haas, Ben Davis, Saxton, St. Lawrence, Tallman Sweet, Price’s 
Sweet, Perry Russet, Fameuse, Red Astrachan, White Astracan, Walbridge, 
Utter’s Red, Pewaukee, Peach Apple, and all kinds of crabs, old and new. 
The following severe winter (that of ’72-3) swept away all my orchard 
trees except Duchess, Tetofsky and the crabs, and all my nursery trees 
except the crabs, and the Haas, Ben Davis, Saxton, Price’s Sweet, Peach 
Apple, and afew of my Perry Russets, Red Astrachan and Fameuse, that 
were somewhat protected. 
Notes on Varieties. 
The Ben Davis seems to be hardy until it is three or four years old. 
This is the case also with the Gen. Grant. The Tetofsky lives, but easily 
root-kills, and does not look healthy or grow. This is the case also with 
the Saxton and Price’s Sweet I have had Stewart’s Sweet in both orchard 
and nursery for two years, and while they prove thus far perfectly hardy, 
I question their value, if they do not bear till eleven years old, and are no 
larger and no better than the crabs. The Wealthy I have had but one 
year, and it stood well through last winter. The Peach appleseems nearly 
as hardy as the Duchess. Some Duchess trees in this vicinity are begin- 
ning to bear, and are looking fine and healthy. I have now, as the result 
of my four years’ experience, cut down my list of large apples for general 
planting to Duchess, Wealthy, Peach Apple and Haas; and crabs, to Early 
Strawberry, Orange, Beechs’ Sweet, Minnesota and Transcendent. Quaker 
Beauty, Maiden’s Blush and Meader’s Winter stand pretty well, but I am 
afraid of them. I think we should be very cautious in adding to the list of 
apples to be sold for general planting. 
Small Frwits. 
The past season was favorable for strawberries, currants and gooseber- 
ries, but not favorable for raspberries, either red or black. I grow Doo- 
little black cap and Philadelphla red. 
Blight. 
I have had no blight in my nursery nur have I seen any in this part of 
the State, with a single exception. This was a Transcendent, in Forest 
City, three years since. 
