STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 289 



Transcendent and Hyslop trees bore well, but the fruit was 

 smaller than usual. One of the nicest sights that greeted my 

 eyes the past season was several nice, healthy, sweet crab-apijle 

 trees from ten to fifteen feet high, well loaded with light-colored 

 apples, about the size of large Hyslops; some had a slight blush 

 on one side. They were very sweet, crisp and juicy, nice to eat 

 out of the hand or bake. I do not Itnow the name of the variety. 



TREE AGENTS. 



But few swindling tree peddlers invaded our county the past 

 season. Probably the worst one was a man by the name of 

 Jordan, representing May & Co., of St. Paul. His principal 

 hobbies were tree gooseberries, represented by a photograph of 

 a gooseberry with a fifty-cent piece in front of it, the berry 

 being larger round than the money; — when the buyer gets his 

 berries he may think the money he paid for them was the 

 largest; — Thornless blackberry and Gideon apple trees, atone 

 dollar each. I have heard of a few who gave him a small order 

 just to get rid of him. Better let loose the watch dog and cry 

 ''sic 'em!" 



The farmers who invested so heavily in Albaugh & Co.'s 

 budded trees found when spring opened that most of their dollar 

 trees had given up the ghost. One of my neighbors who invested 

 five dollars in them, hearing that some of his neighbors had 

 found most of their trees dead concluded that his trees would do 

 as well to remain in winter quarters and left them there. Still 

 there are men who say that this wholesale robbery of our people 

 serves them right, that they should all come to the meetings of 

 this Society and get better posted. Exi^erience and observation 

 have taught me to beware of the stranger who promises much 

 for little, for they work for big pay, and not for the benefit of 

 the people. I believe our people can raise all the fruit they 

 need for home use, but do not advise farmers west of the Big 

 Woods to invest their money in any apple trees but the best of 

 the crabs and hybrids. 



I have received some interesting letters from correspondents 

 which I will read. The first is from Charles Kenning, of Bird 

 Island, Renville County. He says: "In reply to your letter I 

 wish to say that but little fruit is grown here except what is 

 grown by Dr. Puffer and myself. I am growing several varieties 

 of currants; the common Red Dutch did splendidly. Of rasp- 

 berries the Turner does well. Champion and Miner strawberries 

 37 



