176 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fully, trimmed, pinched, covered, tied to wires; alitor a wilderness of bloom 

 and a few quarts of inferior fruit. If such experience is good for any- 

 thing I hope it will be made use of, it is certainly costly enough. 



In the southeastern part of our county, on the farm of Mr. Budlery, I 

 have found some fine specimens of the Douglas spruce of Colorado. They 

 have been planted fourteen years and are bearing cones. They are not 

 such rapid growers as the Norway spruce, but their beautiful, fresh green 

 appearance presents a strange contrast to the dull, faded color of the 

 Norways in the same yard. Mr. Budlery assured me that they always 

 preserved the same good color even when the common evergreens were 

 badly burned. In the same collection were some cedars from the Rocky 

 Mountains, that were very ornamental. They resemble the red cedar > 

 but have no spines; their berries are round, and I think the trees are of a 

 brighter color. 



I find the laurel leaved willow quite ornamental, and the young growth 

 very tough and excellent in tieing corn fodder, grape vines, etc. 



The dry seasons of '88 and '89 killed or seriously injured a large share of 

 the old established shade trees in the city of Albert Lea. The hard and soft 

 maple, box elders, butternuts and cut-leafed birch fared the worst, while I 

 have not found an elm or ash injured in the least. The soil of the city 

 is a sandy loam on a sand and gravel subsoil. In planting on such soils I 

 would avoid the above five varieties and plant largely of the latter two. 

 Nothing is more disheartening than to plant a tree in hope, care for it with 

 pride, have it grow in your affections for half a lifetime, and then have it 

 wither and die over the very home it had grown to protect. There is 

 nothing merry in the sound of the axe as it strikes at the dead roots of 

 our favorites. The cherished apple trees upon the wood pile, and the 

 family tree lying at full length across the lawn, are sights that bring 

 weariness to the heart of the true horticulturist. 



Let us hope that the hard experience of the past, the bitter disappoint- 

 ments, the hopes deferred, may prove but the solid stepping stones to an 

 era of prosperity for our art which shall be a blessing to our children's 

 children in this our chosen Northland. 



FRUIT REPORT. 



BY M. C. BUNNELL, NEWPORT, MINN. 



Mr. President and Members of the Minnesota State Horticultral Society: 



I find that the interest in horticulture in Washington and Dakota 

 counties is still being kept up, and that the year 1890 has been quite fa- 

 vorable to the fruit grower towards bringing him in a remuneration for 

 the labor and money expended. 



For instance, the Duchess, the leading standard variety as regards 

 hardiness of tree, has fruited so well in many locations that farmers say 

 they must have some more Duchess. If we could only get a late variety 

 that would stand like the Duchess and of good quality, Minnesota in a 

 short time would produce apples enough for home consumption. 

 The Wealthy is very well liked, especially for its productiveness and 



