HOilTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 367 



hawthorne and perhaps two or three other kinds of thorn — and 

 the everywhere to be found prairie-rose, perhaps giving a founda- 

 tion at least upon which our pomology might in generations be 

 built. While, however, if it were possible, it is not expedient to 

 await so slow a process of evolution, the presence of these mem- 

 bers of the family may indicate that other higher types may yet 

 succeed, and from the development of north-west seedlings, or even 

 the careful trial of Eussian and other apples of sufficient hardiness, 

 productiveness and quality, we may yet hope to make this, per- 

 haps the outside limit, and produce the apple that shall surprise 

 the world. 



In conclusion (for I have made this paper too loDg) bear with 

 me while I say something about the climate, and I cannot put this 

 in shorter coin pans 'than by giving a comparison between an official 

 record for 1888-9, as given by Mr. Geo. P. Bliss, chief observer at 

 Winnipeg, and Silas Goss, Lehigh, Webster county, Iowa: 



Bliss — lowest mean in November 20° above. Nov. 19th the low- 

 est was 10° below. Maximum ordinarily from 22° to 46°. Decem- 

 ber coldest day (21st) max. 18° above, min. 14 below, mean 11. 



Goss-Dec. 28—17°. Jan. 13—23°. Jan 14—26°. Jan. 15—35°. 

 Jan. 21—26°. Feb. 9—29°. 



Bliss tells us that Jan. 13 here registered— 15°; 14th— 20°; 15th 

 5° above; Jan 21 — 27°. The lowest record for the winter is on 

 Jan. 18—40°, and on the 26th- 35°. He finishes by saying: -'the 

 record practically shows that there were only two months of win- 

 ter, January and February; ana then it was only during the night 

 that the lowest readings of the thermometer were obtained." 

 Judging by the weather to date the present winter will parallel last 

 winter's record with considerable more of a snow-fall, there being 

 now a blanket from six to eight inches thick covering our pets and 

 giving hopes of a glorious resurrection in the coming spring, per- 

 haps not more than two months distant. 



NATIVE FBUITS AND SHRUBS OF SOUTH DAKOTA. 



By Oliver Gibbs, Jr., of Ramsey, McCook Co., South Dakota. 



[Read before the South Dakota State Horticultural Society.] 



Authors of books write their preface last; and what I say in the 

 beginning is the conclusion of the whole matter, namely, that I 

 really know but a very little about the subject, and much 

 that I seem to know I do not feel so yery sure of. This pleasant 

 December weather has enabled me to take several rambles 

 among the native trees and shrubs growing in my neighbor- 

 hood, and there is not one of them I can look in the face without 

 reading therein a reproach for my ignorance of it. Everyone ap 

 peals to me to tell its life history, that its virtues may become bet- 

 ter known, that it may be protected from prairie fires and roving 



