HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 267 



distance north of the apple belt, and hence it was useless to try 

 to grow apples. Now, let us see if this is not an unfortunate 

 blunder. 



You will all no doubt admit that apples are grown to consid- 

 erable extent as far north as St. Petersburg, or latitude 60°, and 

 to no considerable extent south of New Orleans, or latitude 30°. 

 Now, this is an approximation of the great apple belt on this 

 continent, and the centre is latitude 45°, or at St. Paul. 



Another serious cause of discouragement is, that we are in the 

 habit of ordering more than one-half of the trees we plant from 

 the Middle States. I agree with Edson Gay lord as to the style of 

 planting and pruning trees, viz. : Lean them to the southwest, 

 and see that the heaviest limbs are on the south or southwest 

 side, and then either cultivate often or mulch heavy. 



Fruit statistics never come without the asking, and I have 

 been too busy to look up very many, but such as I have I will 

 present: 



R. C. Keel, Haverhill, 275 bushels Duchess, 200 bushels 

 Wealthy, 75 bushels Hybrids, 25 bushels of various other sorts, 

 16,000 quarts of raspberries, 5,000 quarts strawberries, 600 quarts 

 blackberries, 7,230 quarts currants. C. H. Pond, Kasson, 9,000 

 quarts of blackberries, and a good crop of apples — have not re- 

 ceived the amount. Wm. Somerville, Viola, fine crop of fruit 

 (am not in possession of the number of barrels) and took pre- 

 miums to the amount of $125 last September. Sidney Corp, 

 over 100 bushels of fine apples. 



The exhibit before the Southern Minnesota Agricultural So- 

 ciety at Rochester in September was one of the best ever made 

 at our fair. 



We find that the most successful fruit growers in this district 

 pasture their orchards with hogs, and have good wind breaks of 

 evergreens, or deciduous trees. 



REPORT FROM SECOND DISTRICT. 



By Vice President E. H. S. Dartt, Owatonna. 

 Mr. President: 



I had intended to write out a report to be presented here, but 

 understood that papers were not in demand. I thought perhaps 

 it would not be called for and so I have written nothing. 



