180 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



were very good. The Duchess and Wealthy are doing well, and will be 

 largely planted during the coming season. 



Of Russians, Charlamoff, Autumn Streak and Hibernal are doing extra 

 well. Other varieties of Russians are sent out under the names of those 

 mentioned. This is misleading to the grower. 



Ancient Briton and Snyder blackberries are considered the best in this 

 locality. Windom dewberry and Lucretia are not up to expectations. 

 Hansel, Cuthbert, Marlborough and Turner are the best red raspberries. 

 Souhegan and Gregg are the best black raspberries. 



We are fruiting the following strawberries; those mentioned first we 

 consider the best: Warfleld, Crescent, Bubach No. 5, Wilson, Jessie and 

 Windsor Chief. The following are grown more especially for fertilizers: 

 Pioneer and Glendale. We set last season for trial the following: Haver- 

 land, Cloud, Michaels Early, Daisy, Lady Rust, Crawford and Gandy 



In experimental work we are making progress in apples and hybrids. In 

 our last report we stated that (No. 1) Tonky (hydrid) was very promising. 

 Beyond any doubt this variety will stand as far north as any known var- 

 iety. A beautiful grower, the fruit handsome and good. 



Nos. 2 and 3 apples, Victor and Unknown, are both more hardy than 

 the Duchess— free from blight. Fruit of excellent quality, both for eat- 

 ing and cooking. Those varieties are all fair keepers. We are propagat- 

 ing them largely. In addition to those we can say we have a new Minne- 

 sota, strictly winter apple of the best quality. A cut and description of 

 this apple was taken by J. S. Harris at our state fair, where the fruit for 

 the first time was on exhibition. We are much pleased with a new hy- 

 brid which we call Arctic. The tree is 14 years old. It has never blighted, 

 neither have any of the trees propagated from this variety. So far the 

 trees have been perfectly hardy, annual bearers, and the most prolific of 

 any variety we have ever known. Fruit larger and better than the Tran- 

 scendant. 



The following grapes take the lead: Concord, Worden, Delaware and 

 Moores Early. The latter for early. 



REPORT ON NATIVE PLUMS. 



J. S. HARRIS, LA CRESCENT. 



It is encouraging to note that there is a growing interest in our native 

 plums of the family Primus Americana; that plum literature is eagerly 

 sought for, together with a manifest disposition to hunt up and test the 

 varieties that have a local reputation. I repeat what I have said many 

 times before, viz: There is no wild fruit of this age that presents so 

 promising a field for experiment as our own native plum. I have now 

 made it a study for a number of years and am falling into the belief that 

 in some past age it has been cultivated by man but has deteriorated or 

 gone back to the wild state, corresponding to the barbarians who inhab- 

 ited this continent just before us, and that it remains for us to restore it 

 to its primitive conditions and enjoy a fruit in every particular equal to 

 the peach, apricot or nectarine. The last season was not favorable for 

 prosecuting investigations owing to the severe freezing in May after the 

 trees had bloomed and set their fruit. A few more varieties have corae to 



