224 ANNUAL REPORT 



Such sights as these one readily recalls, which were sufficient 

 to enkindle in the mind of any average horticulturist — espe- 

 cially if he chanced to be an enthusiastic lover of fruit — an 

 admiration for the natural resources and advantages of the 

 state, made more emphatic, too, by seeing all the varied and mul- 

 titudinous productions of our wondrously fertile soil; and this 

 gave some foundation to the belief in its adaptability to thepro- 

 duction of tame varieties of fruit in rich abundance as well as 

 of the finest quality. 



We often heard it said, to the disparagement of Minnesota, 

 that apples could not be successfully and profitably grown; and 

 this was urged as argument against its future settlement; that 

 while a few small fruits of various kinds might be depended on, 

 perhaps, it was no fitting place to grow the larger fruits. How- 

 ever, to our mind, this seemed a mere assumption, and the ex- 

 periment was well worth trying. 



We found as we have said, in Minnesota, a soil of unsurpassed 

 fertility. Some of the early settlers said the climate, too, was 

 unexcelled for healthfulness and equability; and, that, although 

 severe at times, it was delightfully agreeable. And so, in spite 

 of some misgivings, we very naturally indulged the hope that 

 we should be enabled soon to grow fine fruits abundantly, of al- 

 most every character and kind. 



In 1873 we tried our hand at raising fruit. We set five acres 

 out to orchard, and also planted out a lot of native plums. The 

 apple trees were thrifty two-year olds, and though there were 

 too many of the tender sorts among the list selected, we do not 

 doubt that we should have been reasonably rewarded for all 

 our labor and expense had we remained upon the farm and cul- 

 tivated with the proper care. 



EARLY EFFORTS. 



You will call to mind that many of our early settlers planted 

 freely of orchard fruits of various kinds, and how their efforts, 

 in spite of want of care in their selection of varieties, were sig- 

 nally rewarded with bounteous crops of fruit. For several years 

 our orchards did not suffer serious injury, and there were many 

 instances of gratifying yields of fruit. Some 30,000 bushels of 

 apples were said to be prod^uced in Minnesota in the year 3 872, 

 and as a natural result the average orchardist began to count on 

 paying yields from that time forward. It was not strange, of 

 course that careless methods should obtain, both as to the selec- 



