STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 105 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Harris. I would like to ask how many years you have 

 been practicing your system of pruning? 



Mr. Pearce. All my life; it is the old system and it has al- 

 ways been followed. 



Mr. Brand. Would you advise propagating vines from cut- 

 tings treated in the manner you describe? 



Mr. Pearce. I would say that you can take cuttings if you 

 wish and grow them so that they will produce a crop of grapes 

 in three years. You can grew fruit the next year even if desired. 



President Elliot. That is not generally considered good policy. 



Mr. Pearce. I would cut the vine so as to leave three eyes 

 and no more. You can take some fifty of these and tie them 

 together after taking them off in the fall. Make an excavation, 

 putting the top ends down, covering with three inches of earth, 

 then covering with two or three loads of manure; this will create 

 an artificial heat. In the sj)ring the buds will be calloused. 

 Set in strong ground and if they are fruit buds they Avill grow. 

 It is not policy if you are growing vines. 



Mr. Harris. Care must be used not to put on too much ma- 

 nure or the vines will rot, and I think six inches of earth better 

 than three for a covering. The object of the manure is to keep 

 the frost out. 



Mr. Pearce. We tried the process described, a year ago and 

 were very successful. 



President Elliot then read his annual address. 



PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS. 



Members of the Minnesota State Horticidtural Societij, Ladies and 

 Gentlemen : 

 When I undertake to bend my mind from business cares and 

 try to express in a clear and definite form an address worthy of 

 the cause we represent, I can but wish that this task had fallen to 

 the lot of some other member, better qualified to consider the 

 many questions of interest that are to come before us. And when 

 I read the many excellent annual addresses that have been given 

 by my predecessors, I feel that your selection has been unwise. 

 With this introductory, we come directly to our subject for this 

 evening, with reference to a few points, as Shakspeare would say,. 

 "to leave no rules as blotches in the work" of horticulture. 

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