102 ANNUAL KEPOET 



is gaining in favor. It is early, productive, and larger than the De 

 Soto. I have the promise of scions for the use of our experimental 

 stations. 



So far as the behavior of the newer Russians is concerned in this 

 State, we have been able to add but little to our previous knowledge. 



We had hoped to get some valuable points from the Russian trees 

 in the orchard and nursery upon the State Experimental Farm. We 

 did go there to see them dug, and to give each number a careful and 

 thorough examination, and to take copious notes of their behavior as 

 nursery trees, the character of the foliage, etc., but were unfortunate 

 in finding Prof. Porter absent from home. All of which is respect- 

 fully submitted. 



REPORT ON SEEDLING FRUITS. 

 By A. H'. Sias, Rochester. 



Your committee are not content, in the second year of their ser- 

 vice, to add nothing interesting or valuable to their report Our first 

 year was of necessity spent in recoiinoiteriug the extensive field before 

 us, and all that we had time and means to do was to report on a few 

 what we considered to be the most worthy trees and fruits. That we 

 have failed to find all the best varieties in the great field before us, is 

 more than likely. We advertised through the press for all those hav- 

 ing choice new fruits to inform us that we might examine and re- 

 port upon them. But very little attention has been given to this call, 

 and that accounts in a measure for the brevity and lack of informa- 

 tion of the present report. 



The first thiug, perhaps, worthy of note for our report was during 

 the summer meeting of the Olmsted County Horticultural Society; 

 held June 11th, where the first exhibit of the famous Jessie straw- 

 berry was made to a Minnesota audience. These berries were so large 

 that they were eaten as you eat large apples, by biting off the sides 

 first. Some of the far-seeing ones present said they would take some 

 home and plant the seeds from them. Your committee saw at a 

 glance that that was the most sensible speech made during the session. 

 And after they had all finished their bountiful feast and taken what 

 they pleased to plant, your reporter carefully gathered up the frag- 

 ments, and the result was in the fall he was able to show, and did ex- 

 hibit to T. T. Lyon, of Michigan, and other noted horticulturists, 

 some five hundred plants of little baby Jessies as fine as F.W. Louden 



