GENERAL FRUITS. 157 



of average soil, and separate the coarse from the fine with a sieve. Then 

 weigh out a pound of the soil which passed through the sieve and place it 

 in a fruit jar or some other vessel. Add water until it becomes quite 

 thin. Give it a good shaking and allow it to settle for a moment, then 

 pour off the top. Repeat the application of water and the shaking until 

 nothing is left but the sand. 



Dry and weigh the sand. The percentage of sand in the original soil 

 will then be easily determined. 



WILD FRUITS NATIVE IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA. 



BY DR. JAS. R. WALKER, ST. ANTHONY PARK. 



I presume that this paper is asked for to assist in estimating possibilities 

 in production of domestic fruits, and that relative facts, such as the mod- 

 ifying conditions of elevation, climate, soil and the character of the vege- 

 tation, are acceptable. 



The only part of northern Minnesota that I have a personal knowledge 

 of is Cass county, and the adjacent parts of Beltrami and Itasca counties, 

 which, because of its physical features, may be called the Itasca region. 



It has an area of 4,000 square miles, nearly one-fourth of which is water, 

 for it is a lacustrine region and has within its borders some of the finest 

 lakes and rivers of Minnesota. 



Its average elevation above sea level is 1,500 feet. That this elevation 

 may be more readily compared I will state that Lake Itasca, in this region, 

 is 1,500 feet, while Lake Pepin is but 664 feet above sea level, and the Mis- 

 sissippi river at its source is 1,592 feet, while where it leaves the state it is 

 but 620 feet above sea level. 



This regiun has the coldest climate in the United States, outside of Al- 

 aska, the mean annual temperature being 34 degrees above zero, which is 

 8 degrees colder than St. Paul, and one degree colder than St. Vincent, 

 while it is 10 degrees colder than Sitka in Alaska. 



The maximum temperature usually occurs near the first of July, the 

 highest observed being 103 degrees, and the minimum usually occurs about 

 the middle of January, the lowest observed being 52 degrees below zero, 

 making the range of temperature 155 degrees. 



The mean temperature of the latter half of May, of June, July, August 

 and September, the months when vegetation is growing and ripening, is 

 60 degrees, with a mean daily range of 29 degrees. 



The earliest killing frost observed occurred on the 25th day of Septem- 

 ber, and the latest on the 28th day of May. This gives of time free from 

 frost about a month longer than at St. Vincent or Moorhead in the Red 

 River Valley, which is probably due to the large amount of water surface. 



The annual rainfall is about 27 inches, June, July and August each 

 having an average of about 3 inches, while September and October are 

 the dryeet months of the year. Thunder showers are frequent, while long 

 rainy spells are rare, and hail storms very rare. The first heavy snow usu- 

 ally remains on the ground until April. The ice leaves the larger lakes 

 about the 15th of May. 



