108 ANNUAL REPORT 



Mr. Brand. It is a seedlino; of the Duchess, and is supposed to be 

 a cross from the Talman Sweet. 



Col. Robertson inquired as to the exposure of those trees that had 

 been destroyed. 



Mr. Brand said he would make a plat of the orchard, if desired. On 

 the north side of the orchard was a row of willows and some cotton- 

 wood trees, not more than two or three rows on the north. 



Col. Robertson said that would be insufficient for protection. He 

 had tried experiments with seedlings for many years; a great many 

 years ago he had his experimental grounds near the city, where he 

 had expended much money uselessly, perhaps, but he hoped not. He 

 had thought he had a sheltered spot, but a severe winter killed all of 

 the seedling trees; others had tried to ra'se seedlings with the same 

 experience. 



He said that a Mr, Stewart, of Le Sueur county, had saved 

 a few trees, perhaps, but not of great value. He had investi- 

 gated where seeds came from, and in most instances learned 

 that they were from cider apples. He had been informed by an 

 eastern seedsman that his stock came from apples grown in New Jer- 

 sey, Pennsylvania and Virginia; and when he saw the result the 

 statement was confirmed. In those states the best apples were sold 

 and the worthless ones used for cider, hence the worthless quality of 

 the seeds. The old varieties of apples grown in New England were 

 mostly seedlings. The Newtown Pippin originated at Flushing, Long 

 Island. He had often visited the celebrated gardens and orchards in 

 that vicinity, when a boy; he came to Ohio in 1838. He found the 

 country there full of worthless seedlings, but a lot of grafters went 

 through the state with their bundles of scions and soon transformed 

 the orchards. In this way the Ohio farmers got their fine varieties. 

 He knew of one man who went through the country claiming he 

 could grow a dozen varieties from one tree, and it was no humbug, 

 for it could easily be done. 



Many men who could afford thff expense had imported trees from 

 England, and some from Germany, and by making judicious selections 

 varieties of fine quality and flavor had been introduced. 



Apple seeds obtained from the cider press were unfit to be used for 

 planting. He had heard nurserymen say that the root did not affect 

 the stock, but he could prove to the contrary. The Duchess would 

 die when exposed, as also would most other varieties. He had been 

 in Europe for some time recently, and had been studying this subject, 

 as to the causes for the losses of trees, etc., with much interest. It 



