214 ANNUAL REPOET 



EEPOET ON SEEDLING FEUITS. 



By A. W. Sias, Rochester. 



Mr. President., Ladies and Gentlemen: 



Pursuant to a call from our chairman, Mr. John S. Harris, G. 

 W. Fuller met us at Rochester, Sept. 25, 1888, and, after spend- 

 ing a part of the day looking about for new varieties, we left for 

 Kasson the same day. 



September 26th, visited the Houston seedlings; found some 

 good specimens yet on the trees. The fruit is of good size and 

 quality, and the tree still looking well. We took the train in 

 the evening for Owatonna, where we stopped over with E. H. S. 

 Dartt. Mr Dartt has many things to interest and instruct a 

 fruit man. We went over his extensive orchards and were sur- 

 prised to' find apple trees of several varieties in full bearing, 

 where the Ash Leaved Maple was said to be failing. This must 

 be pretty conclusive evidence that he has some extremely hardy 

 sorts. Dartt' s Hybrid is flourishing finely. Mr. Dartt took us 

 to see the state school for indigent children, near which is lo- 

 cated his experimental station. He has only fairly commenced 

 his good work here, yet he has a large variety of plants consid- 

 ering the short time that he has been in charge of the grounds. 

 We were highly pleased with the progress made. Perhaps it 

 might be said that he is making a speciality of seedlings, yet he 

 is not so one-sided but that he can test any foreign variety that 

 comes well recommended. Was glad to note that he had a 

 keen appetite for evergreens, especially for the Rocky Mountain 

 conifers, and other recently introduced varieties. 



September 27th, in company with Mr. Dartt, we visited J. G. 

 Miller, of Rice county. Think he said the Peerless apple tree 

 bore some two bushels this season. The other seedlings bore 

 considerable fruit but the crop was not large in any part of the 

 orchard; we found one very promising seedling that Mr. Miller 

 says is five years old — a seedling from the Wealthy and the fruit 

 resembles it; will f)erhaps keep as well. It only bore three 

 apples this season. Tree appears to be as hardy as a crab, but 

 Mr. Dartt reminded me that we could not judge of the hardiness 

 of a variety at that "tender age." As I have reported on this 

 orchard once before, I shall depend on my partner, Mr. Fuller, 

 to give you a fuller report. 



