STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIP]TY. 451 



home seedlings, and many varieties of Russian origin stood this 

 severe test with little or no injury, and there has been no time 

 in the past vrhen more interest has been manifested in fruit 

 growing. Our horticultural societies are gaining in strength 

 and usefulness; our orchards are being reset and extended; but 

 only such varieties are being used as have proven to be early 

 and abundant bearers and reasonably hardy, while extensive ex- 

 periments are being made with newer varieties imi^orted from 

 Russia, and in originating varieties. 



At the Minnesota state fair just held the horticultural display 

 was one of the best ever made in the Northwest. It included 

 nearly one hundred varieties of large and fine apples, several 

 improved Siberians, some thirty varieties of the best American 

 grapes, and several of native plums. 



THE FUTURE. 



The future is hopeful. There is not a reasonable doubt but 

 that some of the varieties recently introduced from Russia, by 

 Messrs. Budd, of Iowa, and Gibb, of Canada, will prove adapted 

 to all parts of this great country, and it is believed that seed- 

 lings from them, developed in our soil and climate, will be 

 adapted to our wants and produce fruits of great excellence, 

 which, together with the improvement being made in the Siber- 

 ian species by Peter M. Gideon (the originator of the Wealthy 

 apple), by crossing and hybridizing with the larger apples, will 

 soon give us an enviable reputation for the abundance of its 

 strawberries, raspberries and graj^es. The strawberry is at 

 home here, and is largely grown for home use and for mar- 

 ket. ' The most popular varieties are Wilson, Crescent, Downer 

 and Gleudale. These are usually grown in matted rows 

 and the beds continued from two to three years. Marketing 

 is cheaply done in quart boxes shipped in sixteen and twenty- 

 four-quart crates. Prices range from from five to fifteen cents 

 per quart, according to season and quality. 



The varieties of raspberries most extensively cultivated are 

 Doolittle and Seneca, for blackcaps; and Turner, Philadelphia 

 and Cuthbert for red. Some winter protection is usually given. 

 The yield is generally abundant and the crop sure. 



When winter protection is given, blackberries are found to do 

 well and are a very profitable crop. The varieties are Snyder 

 and Ancient Briton. Currants and gooseberries are at home 



