190 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



scions for grafting this winter that I have selected from some of the best 

 orchards of this and adjoining counties. There are a few seedlings among 

 them that have never been grafted and quite a number of Russians. I 

 do not claim that my old trees are sound for they are far from it; but 

 they are living and bearing paying crops. I believe if a tree has lived and 

 borne well until it is twenty years old it should be placed on the retired 

 list, and if perchance it should do more it should receive our most heart- 

 felt thanks. 



In conclusion I will say that after watching the ups and downs of the 

 fruit business for one-third of a century, its darkest days and brightest 

 sunshine, year after year as time rolled on, I confidently believe that 

 many parts of Minnesota will yet rank high among the fruitgrowing 

 districts of the Union. 



H. L. Gordon: I have not taken up much time at this meeting, 

 but as I have kept quiet until after all the big guns have fired 

 off their ammunition I thought some light artillery might come 

 in at this time. I learned that back in the sixties. I advocate 

 very strongly the the growing of a tree with a short trunk. I 

 can see no use for a body of an apple tree except for conven- 

 ience in planting and getting around under the tree . This, it is 

 true, sometimes causes a little inconvenience, but we save a 

 great many more apples by having the limbs close to the ground, 

 where we can pick the apples from the tops of the trees; there 

 is a great deal more gain than loss. I prefer to pick my apples 

 off the tree instead of from under the tree. In talking with my 

 friend Brand the other day he said he was not particular whether 

 they adopted his method or not, but said they would all come 

 to it soon. I told him they would come to my plan. I know it 

 is natural for a man to think his ways are right. 



THE FUTURE OF ORCHARDING IN MINNESOTA. 



BT J. M. UNDERWOOD, LAKE CITY. 



By what prophetic vision shall I look into the future and see the fruits 

 it has in store for us. Shall I seek some enchantment and weave a web of 

 fancy in which I can discover a key to unlock the mysteries of years to 

 come, that I may be able to tell how many and what kind of apples Pres. 

 Elliot is to have on hand? This must have been his motive in assigning 

 me this topic, that he might know whether to contract ahead with some 

 Michigan or Missouri man, or if he is to have the highly colored, deli- 

 cious products of Minnesota. 



I might base my judgment on the unfolded future of Bellamy's "Look- 

 ing Backward" and promise each family a full supply of sweet and sour 

 harvest, fall and winter apples, in size and color to suit each fancy. This 

 would certainly be a pleasant way to treat the subject, but my life has 

 been too full of the hard details of experience to admit of forgetting 



