76 ANNUAL Report. 
tennial Exposition answer—one hundred and nineteen named eo sta 
ard apples, the fairest, finest and most beautiful specimens that nature 
duced. Why, sirs, a gentleman came to me at the time and said, Dt 
by what secret process do you get that beautiful finish upon your fruit? — Treplied 
my dear sir, the secret is in the climate where it grew. I am certain from from what 
T saw at our late fairs that we could now furnish a much ae collection than 
we did then. 
Moulton’s Russian Apples, 
But my purpose is to write up the horticultural products of the late Minneap- 
olis Exposition. I find that there were thirty-six exhibitors of apples, seven of 
grapes, four of plums, and seventeen of flowers and green-house plants. Of the 
number Thomas Moulton, of Minneapolis, had a remarkable collection of oyer 
one hundred varieties of Russian apples, some of them even larger than the 
Duchess. Mr. M. claims that he has fruited over two hundred varieties of those 
apples, some of them ripening as early as the first of July, and others continuing 
in succession until May. 
He has many trees that he thinks much hardier than the Duchess, but this fact 
will have to be proven by further time and experience. Of this collection about 
fifteen varieties are winter fruit, in season from December to May. Now, just 
here is a point of great importance in our horticultural work. No one denies 
that winter apples can be grown in Minnesota, but it is well known that a late 
ripening fruit is also late in ripening up its wood, and consequently is not in 
condition to withstand the first shock of extreme cold weather, that sometimes 
occurs quite early in this climate, and consequently the trees are liable to be 
permanently injured or even killed outright. If we could get a good productive 
winter apple, perfectly hardy under all conditions of climate here, there would 
be millions in it for the future of our State. When this Russian collection comes 
to be sifted fown by careful selection, no doubt we shall get something valuable 
out of it. 
Minnetonka Exhibitors— Wealthy. 
Some of the finest fruit on exhibition came from about Lake Minnetonka, and 
it is doubtful if any section of the State can produce better. The Wealthy apple 
was out in all its glory, Mr. Gideon, the originator, minus. Why does he still 
persist in keeping his light under a bushel, now that the State pays for the gas? 
But the Wealthy has suffered nothing in other hands. Messrs. Latham, Gould, 
and Mann, of Excelsior, had more fruit of this variety, and better specimens 
than I have before seen on exhibition. Indeed, the whole collection of fruit was 
very fine; whether it was owing to the season or to the increased amount grown 
from which to select, I cannot determine. I am sorry that I cannot particularize, 
and give the names of each variety, but as I took no notes at the time, and have 
no recourse except to the entry books, which only give the names of the persons 
entering and the fruits on which there was a special premium; all else beg 
included in general collections. 
Exhibits of Messrs. Gould, Latham and others. 
Mr. Gould was awarded the first premium for the best collection of all kinds of 
fruit by one exhibitor. His display of Concord and Delaware grapes was very 
