STATE HORTICULTCftAL SOCIETY. 249 



REPORT FROM FIFTH DISTRICT. 



By Vice President G. W. Fuller, Litchfield. 



I am supposed to represent the district in which I live, the Fifth, 

 which embraces the northern portion of the State. 



I am also supposed to have a "general impression of the horticultu- 

 ral interests ot my district." 



In Goodhue county some fifteen years ago there were some fine or- 

 chards, but I am told that all the apple tress have failed, excepting a 

 few Tetofsky, Duchess and Wealthy on the blufi^s near the river. 



I can speak from my own knowledge only of the section west of the 

 Big Woods. And a few words tell the story so far as apples are con- 

 cerned. With few exceptions, all the large apples and many of the 

 crabs have gone the way of the many varieties, with which our tables 

 were filled in the early days of our Society. The Transcendent is the 

 only real iron-clad, and the only one that has brought and is still 

 bringing steady and permanent returns. The Hyslop is not so hardy, 

 and the trees have nearly all failed. Beaches Sweet has stood and 

 borne well in some localities, but failed in others. The Minnesota 

 is hardy, but does not bear the fruit we look for. I hear of some trees 

 of the Virginia Crab are bearing well in the timber. 



In regard to the small fruits, I can speak confidently and hopefully. 

 But here we are confined to the few tried varieties. It does not do to 

 depend upon new things. The cherry and the much advertised Fay 

 currant are perfect failures. An ordinary winter kills them, on my 

 grounds. But there is no discount on the old Red and White Dutch, 

 the White Grape and Black Naples. The Houghton and Downing 

 gooseberry do fairly well. The Somers and perhaps the Philadelphia 

 are the only raspberry that will do anything without being covered, 

 and it is much better to cover them. 



I think that in the greater part of this district the true course for us 

 to take is to make no attempt to grow apples except the Transcendent 

 and perhaps two or three other crabs, and give chief attention to cur- 

 rants, strawberries, raspberries, and gooseberries, and confine our- 

 selves to the proved and best varieties of them, and leave the experi- 

 menters and theorists to experiments and theories, until some perma- 

 nent result is obtained. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Sias inquired if Mr. Dartt would recommend the Duchess ex- 

 cept in favorable locations. 



