STATE HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 39 



mental establishments to discover what can be grown in Minne- 

 sota; and I think yon will all agree with me in this statement, 

 that there is only one truly successful way under heaven to accli- 

 matize a plant to any country, and get the best result from that 

 species, and that is from the seedling. I have found in my 

 studies, both at home aud abroad, that it is a universal fact with- 

 out exception. Further than that, I have found, as a result of 

 much study, travel and reflection, that the only possible chance 

 for improvement in plant growth, for proper adaptation of growth, 

 for the promotion of longevity of plant growth, is by going back 

 to the seed. 



The most valuable product of France is the vine; not for the 

 table alone, not for dessert, but for life-saving, wine; pure wine,sir. 

 We have very little pure wine in this country. But pure, un- 

 alcoholized wine, such as was made in the time of the old He- 

 brews, pure wine, containing nothing but the juice of the grape. 

 That is one item; then again, here is a fact that our people have 

 to learn: -We see that the value of species will wear out, and 

 you must commence anew. Where are our old varieties of oats ? 

 Where are our peachblow potatoes, or all those other fine varie- 

 ties of the potato that we used to have? All gone; and how? 

 By fungous growth ; from what they call ''blight" or "dry rot" 

 and all sorts of names; and so we must prepare to introduce new 

 varieties ^11 the time, and at the same time study to have'climatic 

 adaptation. 



In fruits we will have to go back to Asia Minor, which has 

 been spoken of, where they have every variety of climate. We 

 will have to go back there, as the Greeks and Romans did, to get 

 the wild plants aud to commence anew. That is what we have 

 got to do here; and so with regard to wheat and every other kind 

 of crop; for improvement, that is the only thing we have to do; 

 we must get the plants that can be grown with perfection here, 

 the best kind for the climate, and then make this climate the 

 best we can make it. 



Do you believe it is possible to improve this climate? 



Mr. Harris. I do. 



Col. Robertson. I am sure it can be done. Before I started 

 for home I saw a method tried in France for the protection of 

 plants by means of a fence some six feet high, There, although 

 the climate is almost semi-tropical, is a cold wind that 

 comes down from the Alps, along the Meditteranean, the fence 

 will protect the gardens situated a hundred miles to the north 



