266 ANNUAL REPORT 



President Elliot read an extract from a letter from Mr. Gaylord, 

 of Nora Springs, stating that: "A firm of L. L. May & Co. claims 

 to be northwest of St. Paul two or three miles. Is this firm genu- 

 ine? The agent is here selling the Gideon apple atone dollar each, 

 representing they are growing these trees there and that they 

 have the entire stock." To bring this matter right to the point, 

 he would like to inquire if there was such a firm as L. L. May & 

 Co. in St. Paul, or a representative"? 



Mr. May. Yes, sir, there is and I am that representative. 



President Elliot. Where is that located*? 



Mr. May. Our offices are located in the First National Bank 

 building, corner of Fourth and Jackson. 



President Elliot. Where is your nursery located? 



Mr. May. Our nurseries are located in Rochester, New York. 



President Elliot. What stock are you selling ? 



Mr. May. We are selling the Gideon apple more particularly; 

 a general line of nursery stock. 



President Elliot. Will you furnish a list of this stock to our 

 committee on fruit lists'? 



Mr. May. I will. 



President Elliot. Are you selling the same class of stock in 

 Southern Minnesota that you are for Northern Minnesota and 

 Wisconsin? 



Mr. May. No, sir; not by any means. 



President Elliot. We would also like a list of the prices at 

 which you sell nursery stock. 



Mr. May. We can give you those. I wish to make a few 

 remarks about the Gideon apple. It was originated here, at 

 Lake Minnetonka, by Peter M. Gideon. Some years ago Mr. 

 Gideon sold that variety, with the distinct understanding that 

 the parties buying this variety were to have the sole right of 

 propagation of it. It was sold to Messrs. Chase Bros., of Roches- 

 ter, N. Y.; they paid Mr. Gideon the sum of two hundred 

 dollars for that variety. Some fifteen months ago Chase Bros, 

 wrote to us that they had a fine stock of this variety, and wished 

 us to take it and sell it. Knowing the variety to be hardy, we 

 of course put it on our list willingly, and we have been selling 

 it to this day, and intend to sell it; and we defy anyone to come 

 forward and show that we can not deliver the genuine variety. 

 We have been in this business some eight years, and located in 

 St. Paul. We commenced in a small way as dealers, and our 

 business has grown until it has extended through all the West- 



