STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 107 



Duchess of the same age, and its last crops liave been its largest ones. 

 The last crop it bore was between ten and eleven bushels, and the 

 crop in 1884 was nine bushels. The Wealthi'S in the orchard have all 

 killed out. I simply made these remarks because I made a statement 

 last winter which did not appear in the record. 



Col. D. A. Robertson, of St. Paul, was here introduced as the first 

 president of the Society, he was asked to come forward, at the same 

 time being greeted with applause. 



Mr. Sias. Just a word in regard to the age of the Peerless apple I 

 have no doubt Mr. Brand is correct about its age. I have Duchess 

 trees on my place that are twenty-threo years old, and this Peerless 

 tree is still larger than any of mine. In regard to the discrepancy in 

 the amount of fruit produced, I don't pretend to know about that. 



Col. Stevens. Mr. President, I would like to know if this tree is 

 propagated generally, and has there been any fruit raised from it by 

 propagation ? 



Mr. Brand. No, sir; I don't think there was any scions taken from 

 the tree until a y^ar ago last fall; there will be no chance for its 

 being fruited for a couple of years yet. Another point I wished lo 

 mention : Mr. Harris states in his report that there are only three of 

 the seedlings left in the orchard; there are six left. I got fruit from 

 all of them a year ago last fall. 



Col. Robertson here took the floor and stated that one of the most 

 interesting topics to him was that of the feasibility of growing apples 

 and forestry trees, their effect upon the amelioration of the climate, 

 exposure, etc. When the Duchess was mentioned he was interested 

 to know where it was grown and where it was grafted. He knew 

 nothing of the Peerless. It was only by accident he had learned of 

 this meeting, as he had supposed from a notice in the paper that the 

 meeting had been postponed. 



President Elliot said the notice had reference to the meeting of the 

 local society here. 



Continuing, Col. Robertson said that as soon as he discovered his 

 error he hastened to come to this meeting, as he had certainly intend- 

 ed to be present; there was no organization in the State of Minnesota 

 nearer to his brain and heart than that of the State Horticultural 

 Society, on account of the good it could accomplish for the State and 

 the Northwest. He had always attended its meetings when possible 

 to do so. He inquired as to the origin of the Peerless, as he knew 

 nothing of the variety. 



President Elliot. That is a new seedling just being brought out. 



