332 ANNUAL REPORT 



ber 1st), have made the best growth and seem best suited to the 

 situation are as follows: 



In the spring of 1886, thirty-four additional varieties were set 

 and the orchard now contains eighty-one varieties of apples. 



THE HILLSIDE ORCHARD. 



This orchard, planted on a northwest slope, is protected on 

 the south and west by a natural grove of oak; the ground was 

 cleared three years ago and planted to rutabagas. The trees 

 were set in the spring of 1885. The list comprises apples, crabs 

 and plums. The apples and crabs have all grown well — Duch- 

 ess and Wealthy being very good. 



The list of Russian apples growing on the farm has been 

 already published in the report of last year. There are certain 

 varieties that have proven worthless and which should be re- 

 jected as such. Varieties that fail in one locality may, however, 

 succeed elsewhere. It is going to be impossible for any one 

 station to do this experimental work satisfactorily. We have 

 not only a large area of country, but wide diversity of soil and 

 climate in Minnesota. The conditions in the southern xDortion of 

 the State are entirely different from those we have here. Instead 

 of having two fruit stations under state control, we should have 

 at least four, with dozens of other exj^erimental sub-stations. 

 Varieties that prove to be valuable under these varying condi- 

 tions could then be generally recommended. 



We have given considerable attention to Russian apples, have 

 secured a few Russian pears, a collection of Russian shrubs and 

 ornamental trees. Some of the Russian importations promise 

 to be very valuable additions; two oi- three of the willows are 

 specially promising. The same may be said of some of the 

 ornamental shrubbery. 



THE VINEYARD. 



The vineyard was planted three years ago. It is purely an ex- 

 perimental collection of those varieties which would seem to be 



