STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 109' 



would be observed that any tree that was exposed to these northern 

 winds would die the same as persons would perish when exposed to 

 these cold blasts. The winds that prevail in the winter throughout 

 Dakota, and south as far as Kansas, were too rigorous to be endured 

 without some protection against them. He knew something about it, as 

 hehadslept out of doors on the prairie when the thermometer was25''be- 

 low zero; it was pretty hard to keep warm, even with fires. There was a 

 great difference to be observed in the atmosphere where there was pro- 

 tection from forests. He had talked with ex-Gov. Marshall, for one, 

 who was surveying for the Government some forty years ago, and who 

 with others camped out in tents in winter in the woods, in Wisconsin 

 and Northern Minnesota, while surveying. They managed to live 

 without freezing; out on the prairies they would have frozen to death. 

 This came in as sort of an episode. 



Where the barriers to orchards are removed there is a decrease in 

 the amount of fruit produced. He had noticed this fact at Vladi- 

 mar, Russia, and the same thing is referred to in the reports of Prof. 

 Budd and Mr. Gibb, who had visited that country. What was needed 

 for the orchard was protection. The best protection, in his judg- 

 ment, was that of evergreen trees and hedges. 



Col. Robertson said he feared he was taking up the time of others, 

 but felt great interest m these matters, as he had studied them very 

 thoroughly. He had noticed that the Duchess was inclined to split 

 from the graft, and recommended planting a large stone under the 

 roots, which would cause the tree to throw out roots of its own. The 

 same rule would hold good with other trees too tender for the 

 climate. 



He said there was no reason why people should become discouraged 

 as to raising fruit. They were raising apples in abundance in Russia, 

 and had the very finest kinds of winter varieties there, and he had 

 taken pains to obtain some of the seeds which he had brought home 

 with him. There were finer varieties to be had than we had yet 

 tested here. ^ 



The Duchess, according to his investigations, was a Swedish vari- 

 ety. It had been taken thence to Germany and England. He had 

 traced up its origin with a good deal of interest and patient research. 



He had found this to be true, that in every country on the face of 

 the earth there were seeds to be found which would produce the variety 

 of plants that were best adapted to the particular region of country, 

 such as would prove of the highest degree of excellence, and adapted 

 to the climate of the particular country where the seeds originated. 



