182 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have the honor to report to you that I have performed it conscientiously 

 and as thoroughly as circumstances would permit. I started out on August 

 22 and spent three days in Fillmore county. We found here the largest 

 and best crop of apples that has been raised since 1884. The orchards are 

 composed too laigely of crabs and hybrids to be profitable to their owners in 

 a commercial point of view; but we should estimate from what we saw that 

 the whole apple crop of the county would represent a value of thirty thou- 

 sand dollars. At August Krigel's, near Forestville, we found an orchard con- 

 taining several seedlings grown from seeds taken from the Duchess apple. 

 I should estimate their age to be about 15 years. Five of them produce fruit 

 of fair si ze and in season somewhat later than the Duchess. None of them 

 were in eating condition when seen. The trees appear to be healthy ex- 

 cept that one of them has received injury from sun scald, which is not 

 surprising, as the trunks of all of them have been pruned up to five feet 

 and some of them lean toward the northeast. The five varieties are said 

 to cover the season from September to past mid-winter. In their vicinity 

 and over the higher lands of this county the Duchess, Tetofsky, Whitneys 

 No. 20, Orange and Minnesota are a success, and the Wealthy, Haas, 

 Fameuse and some other varieties have so far recovered from injuries that 

 they are bearing considerable fruit this year. At Carmonia a few of the 

 once famous Picket's Seedlings yet remain. They have become large trees 

 producing heavy crops, but most of them are subject to blight and their 

 size and quality do not recommend them for commercial orchards. 



At Etna, D. K. Michenor has one of the most profitable orchards in this 

 state. The paying part of the orchard is planted to Duchess and Wealthy. 

 He is engaged, to some extent, in raising seedlings from selected northern 

 seed and has three in bearing that produce excellent late autumn fruit. 

 After the close of the state fair, Sept. 15, I visited the orchard of J. G. 

 Miller, Richland township, Rice county, for the purpose of examining the 

 original Peerless apple tree. The tree was laden with fruit at that date. 

 It stands nearly erect, but leaning slightly toward the northeast. It has 

 a clean trunk of about 4£ feet that supports a round, compact head, al- 

 most perfect in form. Some fruit had been picked for showing at the 

 state fair, but I should estimate what remained upon the tree at about 

 three barrels. I found the tree in really good condition, which is re- 

 markable when we take into account that for the last three years it has 

 been closely cut for scions. In that time it has been multiplied into over 

 fifteen thousand trees, and a plenty of good scions could be cut this year. 

 The tree is now twenty-three years of age. Mr. Miller states that it origi- 

 nated from Duchess of Oldenburg seed. The fruit is of medium size and 

 handsome in appearance, and in quality equal to the Wealthy. Its real 

 season is mid-winter, but probably with careful handling may be kept 

 later. Another seedling produced from the same source, of same age, is 

 Miller's Jeniton. The tree is larger than the Peerless, a strong grower, 

 and apparently hardy. The fruit is smaller, of fair quality, and is in sea- 

 son through October. The trees are free from blight, and productive. 

 The George Miller tree, the same age is one of the best autumn apples 

 I have ever met with, but the tree is subject to blight, and is a shy 

 bearer. Mr. Miller has a considerable number of younger seedlings from 

 select seeds, of the hardiest variety, and will probably be heard from 

 again in the near future. At Medford, Rice county, Mr. Wolford has origi- 



