STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 389 



rapidly. About the first of May a hard fro'st cut off some 

 tender vegetables, such as tomatoes, asparagus, potatoes, etc., 

 causing quite a loss to some gardeners. But in my opinion the 

 loss was not near so great as that caused by the cut- worms. The 

 previous season asparagus was good and brought a fair price. 



Beans and peas were good. The crop was not large, but 

 prices ruled higher than formerly. Early cabbage and cauli- 

 flower did well, late was almost a failure, owing to the ravages 

 of the cabbage butter fly. Celery but few try to raise, and 

 still fewer make a success of it. Our market is supplied mostly 

 from Michigan. This is a subject that needs more light. 



Melons this season were particularly good. The crop was 

 large and brought paying prices, consequently melon-raisers 

 were happy. 



Onions were a fair crop, but suffered from drought in some 

 locations; brought a fair price. On the whole, I think the crop 

 was satisfactory to the grower. 



POTATOES. 



More attention is paid to this crop than formerly, and deserv- 

 edly so, for it is one of the most important crops that we can 

 raise near large cities. Many of the gardeners near Minneapolis 

 plant from ten to forty acres each, and nearly always find ready 

 sale at i)aying prices. Varieties planted early gave the best 

 returns, while the late planting suffered more or less- from 

 drought. On the whole I think there was a good average crop. 

 For early I recommend Early Ohio, Clarke's No. 1, Pearl of 

 Savoy, and Beauty of Hebron; for late. White Elephant, White 

 Star, Burbank, and Empire State. These are the kinds I have 

 found the most reliable and profitable to grow, for market or 

 home use. The Colorado beetle was more numerous than for a 

 number of years, but a few doses of Paris green finished them. 



SMALL FRUIT. 



The year 1886 to the horticulturist was not a profitable one in 

 many sections, particularly with small fruits. Strawberries 

 were lower in price than ever before known in our market. For 

 several days the price was from three to four cents a box. The 

 old reliable and productive Countess is the variety that over- 

 stocks the market. I have over twenty varieties of strawberries 

 growing, mostly in small quantities, merely to test their relative 



