GENERAL FRUITS. 185 



sin and southeastern Minnesota. Tree, 30 years old; fruit large, foim 

 round, conical; color, light green, striped, with pale red; flesh greenish 

 white, solid, fine grained, sub-acid, good. Season, until March. We 

 called upon friend Gideon in November. He reports ten more seedlings 

 as fruiting. Most of the fruit was gone at the time. None of the varie- 

 ties will keep longer than the Wealthy, and those we saw were not equal 

 to it in other respects. He has a great number yet to fruit, and we may 

 reasonably hope for a long keeper among them. 



Andrew Peterson has a variety named Wolff seedling. It seems to be 

 fully more hardy than the Wealthy. The fruit is of medium size, fine 

 appearance and a good keeper. 



In our travels we have seen many varieties of the Siberian hybrids that 

 seem to be well worth looking after, for trial in those sections where the 

 apple will not succeed. 



In conclusion, we would report that the outlook is hopeful . The interest 

 in fruit culture is growing, and everywhere we find more attention given 

 to planting seeds with the view of originating new and better varieties. 



REPORT UPON FRUIT BLOSSOMS TOR THE YEAR 1890. 



BY O. M. LORD, MINNESOTA CITY. 



The first fruit blossoms appeared upon wild plum seedlings May 1, 

 nearly one month later than the year before. The Cheney is usually the 

 first to show blossoms, and were in full bloom on May 9, while nearly 

 all other northern plums were just beginning to show. . The Chicksaws 

 were slightly starting. The Ostheim cherry was in full bloom on the 

 12th, also currants. The Wilson was the first strawberry to bloom, but 

 only a few were observed on the 12th. Apple trees showed bloom on the 

 15th, and blackberries and raspberries were full on the 20th. The princi- 

 pal object of the inquiry in regard to date of blossoming is to determine 

 the adaptability of the different fruits to our climatic conditions. 



Leaving out the consideration of drouth, the time of maturity after 

 blossoming does not greatly vary, and though there was a month's differ- 

 ence in time of blossoming, the last two years were both fruitful. Ob- 

 servations should be made and records kept for a series of years, to be of 

 practical value. 



APPLES. 



THE ORCHARD. 



BY B. H. S. DART, OF OWATONNA. 



(Read before the Steele County Agricultural and Industrial Society.) 

 Mr. President and Gentlemen: 



The best location for the orchard is found to be a high northern slope 

 tipping down to the north or northeast, the more the better, provided it 

 is not so steep as to interfere with cultivation. Why is this best? Because 

 our trees are killed by drouth and on this slope the hot sun and drying 

 winds do not absorb moisture as rapidly as on level land or a southern slope. 



The worst location is a low sheltered nook where the cooling breeze is 



