460 ANNUAL REPORT 



the effect " that he never could get the hang of a scythe and al- 

 ways thought it hung best from the limb of a tree;" and although 

 he was reared on a farm he soon forgot to a large extent the 

 character of his early training. 



:^ ^ '^ >\i ^ ^^ ^ ^< i^ 



We have from time to time had occasion to visit a number of 

 orchards in Olmsted county which appeared to be well laden 

 with fruit; and it has often been a source of gratification to note 

 all the sure indications of steady progress being made in the pro- 

 duction of choice and hardy varieties. We do not doubt there 

 are in your county many favorable situations to be found where 

 with proper care and attention, an orchard might be made highly 

 remunerative. 



The difficulties to be encountered in fruit growing in this 

 state are by no means insurmountable, but the experience of the 

 past, repeated and numerous disasters and failures, admonish us 

 that there are obstables to be overcome, or guarded against, if 

 anyone would meet with any marked degree of success and profit 

 in the industry. There must of course be intelligent culture 

 and the exercise of watchfulness and care at every step. 



Prof. Budd, of Iowa, has"given some valuable suggestions on 

 this sui[iect. He says: "A tree that will endure our test win- 

 ters well must maintain perfect foliage during our hot, change- 

 able summers, and must be as determined of habit of ripening 

 its wood as the box elder or hickory, and must have a cell struct- 

 ure practically incapable of freezing." He further states: "■ We 

 absolutely can not expect to produce a seedling hardy enough to 

 endure our test winters when in bearing, unless it shows in leaf^ 

 bark and wood cell its descent from the crabs or Eussians." 



If the position taken upon this subject by our best authorities 

 be correct, we have at once a ready solution for the cause of many 

 of the discouraging failures and drawbacks of the past. It would 

 seem to be very clearly demonstrated that the old and common 

 methods, and careless, thoughtless, hap-hazzard system of orch- 

 arding, so generally practiced heretofore, must be abandoned al- 

 together in the future. In order to succeed with orcharding in 

 Minnesota attention must be given to the character of the soil^ 

 location or exposure, drainage, selection of varieties, methods 

 of training, pruning, protection, etc. All these matters of de- 

 tail will be investigated patiently and thoughtfully, if one is 

 really in earnest to attain the highest measure of success. And 

 we might add in this connection, we have grave doubts if much 



