116 ANNUAL REPORT 



I have three large trees and about fifty small ones grown from 

 planting the pits. I have heard said that one could fruit them 

 quicker from the seed than from setting small trees. Many trees 

 in the vicinity of Sauk Eapids, were blighted, and out of shape, 

 but mine were free from blight and bore very freely of those 

 large and pleasant-tasting plums. 



Mr. Harris. I want to give an invitation to those who may 

 have fine varieties of plums to send specimens to at least four 

 places for testing; I refer to the state experiment station, under 

 the charge of Prof. Porter, the station at Owatonna, under the 

 charge of Mr. Dartt, to Mr. Lord, at Minnesota City, and to 

 Harris. At each one of those places the variety will be given a 

 fair and impartial trial, and if it proves to be of value the one 

 sending the trees will get the credit for the same, and this will 

 aid in making experiments by crossings, etc. 



Col. Stevens. Just a word in answer to the lady that spoke of 

 growing plums from the seed. That will not do. It is possible 

 you may get a better variety but the probability is that it will 

 degenerate into a great deal worse variety. I planted seeds of 

 plums of a very superior quality and the product was perfectly 

 worthless. It is like it is with planting apple seeds; you can not 

 depend upon them to produce the same fruit as that from which 

 the seed is taken. 



Mr. Dartt. We can depend on getting x^erhaps one tree in 

 twenty or thirty that will be equal to the original tree, but we 

 might not get one in fifty. 



President Elliot. Say three hundred. 



Mr. Dartt. Well, we will get it if we plant enough of them. 



Mr. Harris. Mr. Kramer exhibited a valuable variety of 

 plums at the state fair. 



Mr. Barrett. I would inquire of Col. Stevens, suppose there 

 was no other variety of plums near by to fertilize a certain vari- 

 ety, would not the product of the seeds if planted all have the 

 same characteristics? 



Col. Stevens. Most assuredly not; there is perhaps one chance 

 in three hundred of their being the same. 



Mr. Pearse. The better way is to grow the trees from young 

 sprouts instead of propagating from seeds. 



Mr. Harris. What we want is to get better varieties. 



Col. Stevens. That can be done by cross-fertilization. 



Mr. Pearse. Plum trees can be grown from the roots by the 

 thousand. 



