420 ANNUAL REPORT 



As to the progress of growing fruits in the counties of Wash- 

 ington, Ramsey and Dakota, adjacent to St. Paul that I have 

 been over more or less within the past year, I find many that 

 tell the same old story, that there is no use planting standard ap- 

 ples in Minnesota; that it is a failure. Perhaps we might attrib- 

 ute the failure partially to the care and management of trees 

 after they are planted. The careful planter may lose some trees, 

 still if he is judicious in selecting good hardy kinds, and buys 

 them from responsible parties, he is usually amply rewarded for 

 his time and expense. It is true we have had severe winters in 

 the past that have injured both Duchess and Wealthy — more 

 particularly the latter — but I find in certain locations in Wash- 

 ington and Dakota counties, on clay soil the Duchess bore quite 

 bountifully. Peter Gillen, of Woodbury, Washington county, 

 is a man who takes an interest in raising apples, and I hear he 

 raised one hundred bushels of Duchess. His location is on a 

 piece of ground perhaps a little rolling; clay soil. He plants 

 carefully and takes care of his trees after he plants them. His 

 neighbors seem to think he has the favorite spot for raising ap- 

 ples in Woodbury. Whenever any of his trees die he replaces 

 them with young trees, which of course is the right way to do, 

 to make success of orchard growing. He is now trying some of 

 the Russians. 



The winter four years ago killed a good many Wealthies; and 

 the young trees planted since have not come into bearing much, 

 yet I think the time is not far distant in Minnesota when 

 Wealthies will be picked from the trees in abundance and stored 

 away in our cellars. I notice a good many are still anxious to 

 try it again (replant). 



Minnesota, being far from any large bodies of water, has 

 a dry temperature through the winter (as a rule), con- 

 sequently is not so well adapted for apple growing as in 

 states bordering on large bodies of water, where there is 

 more moisture; but I am satisfied in my own mind that if the 

 purchaser informs himself as to the best varieties for Minnesota 

 and is not led away by some oily tongued agent who has a par- 

 ticular variety that he makes a hobby of because he can get a 

 good price for it while he knows nothing about it; I say if he 

 will buy from good authorized agents that represent good com- 

 panies, plant his trees in a good location where he can get a 

 northern slope with clay soil if possible, digs good sized holes, 

 ]. ants carefully and mulches well, keeps stock away, for no one 



