284 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



perfection in this fruit, that has required years of careful and patient 

 work of pomologists with our other standard fruits. So far as is known 

 the only improvement as yet has heen by selection, and the average list 

 of our northwestern nurserymen contain generally less than half a dozen 

 varieties. An examination of the geological and natural history survey 

 of Minnesota shows that Prunus Americana is found indigenous in 72 out 

 of 80 counties of the state and probably in all of them. 



Carver, who traveled to the upper part of the Minnesota river in 1767. 

 wrote of the region through which it flows: "Every part is filled with 

 trees bending under their loads of fruits, such as plums, grapes and 

 apples." 



I have now over 60 distinct varieties including Chicasaws, Russians and 

 my own importation of a dozen varieties from North Bohemia, most of 

 them not yet in bearing. My collection of Americana varieties includes 

 almost everything which has been catalogued, together with many which 

 have as yet not been generally introduced and have only a local reputa- 

 tion. Among them we have several varieties which are superior to such 

 varieties as Weaver, Forest Garden, &c, &c, in many respects. None of 

 the Chicasaw varieties tested arehardy enough to be perfect at this station. 

 The foreign plums have not been tested long enough to give an opinion 

 as to chances of success; about all we can expect of them is to furnish 

 pollen for use in pollinating our best known hardy varieties for hybrids. 



APPLES. 



My experience has been almost entirely with Michigan apples in barrels 

 and this year even that is limited. The few trees we had of Duchess, 

 Transcendent and Brier Sweet, all succumbed with blight, the past 

 season. In the spring of 1888 I received a collection of Russians from 

 Prof. Porter, most of them cripples. Three trees are still alive and in 

 good condition, apparently perfectly hardy. The varieties are 149M, 

 Babuschino, and Champagne Pipka. The others all succumbed to blight 

 the first and second season. Trees of 12 varieties of North Bohemian ap- 

 ples and the same number of pears have been received and will be planted 

 in spring, also seeds of selected varieties from the same source. 



DEW-BERRY. 



For over six years I have anxiously waited for fruit from the variety 

 called Lucretia, having tried it on various soils, and tried plants procured 

 from different sources. It has bloomed freely but has given but little, 

 and that very imperfect fruit; the blossoms seem to be deficient in pollen. 

 It is barely hardy enough for this climate even with winter protection. 

 At the same time I have had better success with the native dew-berry 

 picked up here which is perfectly hardy without covering, fairly prolific, 

 with very large fruit of good quality. 



DWARF JUNEBERRY. 



This shrub has received agreat deal of puffing as a very desirable fruit 

 and a subject for improvement. From observation of the Juneberry here 

 in its native home, and under cultivation, I am convinced that it will 

 never be profitable as a fruit for home use, much less for market. I have 

 searched through acres of the bushes without finding enough fruit to test 

 for cooking. The fruit ripens very unevenly and is then generally claimed 

 by the birds. I do not, however, wish to detract anything from its merits 

 as an ornamental shrub. The taller growing varieties especially, make 



