130 ANNUAL REPORT 



I went to him two or three years ago to see that plum; but it 

 was a day or two after he had finished picking them. He said to 

 me "I wish you were in here before because I know you have some 

 experience with those plums and I just wanted you to see them." 

 He said he got them over in the woods. It is a dark colored plum 

 of medium size and a little bluish. This Rockf ord plum is among 

 the best of our native plums as to quality and growth of tree. I 

 have them growing on my own place. 



President Elliot. That is, the bloom is bluish, but not the 

 skin. 



Mr. Gaylord. The bloom is what gives the color, not the skin. 

 I think the skin is inclined to look a little bluish. 



Mr. Cutler. I would like to ask Mr. Harris what he considers 

 the best plums, of those that are now disseminated over the coun- 

 try? 



Mr. Harris. Well, I would put the De Sota first and the De 

 Sota second. 



The following paper was then read: 



THE FUTUEE OF GRAPE CULTURE AT LAKE 

 MINNETONKA. 



A. W. Latham, Excelsior, Minn. 



When this subject was suggested, it was the intention to include 

 the grape growing interest over the entire state, but upon reflection 

 it seemed best to limit it to the region about Lake Minnetonka, with 

 which the writer is more familiar. The conditions are quite similar in 

 many other localities in the state, — in the neighborhood of its 

 larger lakes and along the bluffs of its rivers, and what is said here, 

 will apply in the main to them, excepting perhaps the condition of 

 neighborhood to a large local market. 



That there may be a "future of grape culture" at Minnetonka as 

 a successful industry, three conditions are absolutely necessary, 

 viz: 



First. That varieties of grapes which the public demand or for 

 which a demand can be created, can be matured in large quantities. 



Second. That there be a large market for these grapes. 



Third. That they can be put upon this market in competition 

 with the same or similar varieties grown in other states, and yield 

 a fair profit to the grower. 



As to the first of the conditions, while a large number of varie- 

 ties of grapes have been grown and ripened at Minnetonka, as in 

 other favorable places in the state, duringthe past quarter of a cen- 

 tury, the business as such has not yet assumed such proportions 



