HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 27lL 



EEPORT FEOM FOURTH DISTRICT. 

 By N. J. Stubbs, Long Lake. 



The past season has been a very remarkable one in this part of 

 Minnesota, and yet a very successful one for small fruits of all 

 kinds. The spring being so late and cold, when summer came 

 with its copious showers of rain, our fruits matured very rapidly 

 and were quite free from disease, all except grapes, which never 

 do well in a cold, damp, or wet season, as these conditions de- 

 velop diseases, or delay the maturing of the grape. 



In apples there seems to be little progress, or a desire to plant 

 new orchards, as the old trees have about all disappeared; but 

 there have been a good many crab apple trees, such as Whitney, 

 Transcendent and other valuable varieties planted, and there will 

 be more the coming season. The Duchess seems to be our only 

 refuge for a good, early cooking apple. 



In raspberries the crop was above the average and prices good, 

 averaging about sixteen cents per quart. For blacks, the Gregg 

 and Souhegan seem to take the lead, the latter being quite early, 

 very prolific and hardy; the former is well known and seems to 

 be the most popular raspberry all over the United States (where 

 berries are grown for market), of any ever introduced, so far as 

 I can judge. In reds, Turner, Marlborough and Cuthbert are 

 planted mostly; for a showy, nice berry that will command a 

 good price and sell quick, the Marlborough has proved to be the 

 best for me. But I find it is very capricious and will not suc- 

 ceed except in certain localities. I think it will do best on clay 

 loam, moderately rich. 



In blackberries we are just making a start — not many planted 

 as yet. The Snyder seems to give good satisfaction as it ripens 

 early, so we have no competition from berries shipped in at that 

 time. For late, Stone's Hardy and Ancient Briton take the 

 lead; the former on clay do the best, and the latter on sandy 

 loam succeed remarkably well; they are both quite hardy and of 

 good quality when fully ripe. The habits of their growth are 

 such that it is quite easy to lay, them down in the fall for winter 

 protection — much easier than Snyder. 



For a trailing blackberry, the Lucretia dewberry, I think, 

 stands superior to any yet introduced; the berries are so large 

 and strong, and the vines so prolific, that they will never disap- 



