140 ANNUAL REPORT 



EEPOET ON FRUIT BLOSSOMS. 



By J. S. Harris, La Crescent. 



Mr. President and Members of State Horticultural Society: 



I have no doubt but that valuable results may follow from the 

 careful record of the dates of fruit blossoms and the conditions 

 of the weather, temperature, direction of winds, etc., for a term 

 of years — and if the managers of the experimental stations des- 

 ignated by and under the direction of this Society were receiv- 

 ing any remuneration whatever I would recommend that it be 

 made one of the duties of such managers to keep a careful record 

 of the dates of the blooming of the various fruit trees and 

 plants in their various localities and note the causes that tended 

 to full crops, to partial or total failures. To facilitate this work 

 and insure accuracy it might be expedient to furnish the report- 

 ers with blanks and printed forms. 



I have during the season borne in mind that I was a member 

 of this committee, and have made some notes and records which 

 I respectfully submit to you, commencing with April 15th. 

 This day for the first time I observe a few fully expanded blos- 

 soms upon wild strawberry plants. No frost this morning. 



May 19th. The color is showing on the blossom buds of the 

 June or Shadberry. 



May 21st. Blossoms have opened out on the Juneberry; color 

 is showing on the buds of Morella cherry and Cheney plum. 

 "Weather warm and rather pleasant. 



May 22d. This morning blossoms on Morella cherry and Cheney 

 plum commence to open and at evening they are in full bloom. 

 The Rollingston, Le Due's Favorite and some other varieties are 

 beginning to show some color. The day has been clear and 

 very warm for the season. 



May 23d. The Rollingstone, Le Due and other native plums 

 are beginning to expand their flowers and the Cheney are a per- 

 fect bank of bloom. The flowers of this variety are larger and 

 differ from any other variety that has come to my notice; the 

 stamens are apparently well supplied with pollen. Weather 

 warm and showery. 



May 24th. De Soto plums are opening their bloom a little this 

 afternoon; an occasional blossom is beginning to open upon the 

 Transcendent, Gen. Grant and a few others of the Siberian hy- 

 Cloudy and quite warm. 



