290 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



beautiful fall apple just later than the Duchess; the tree Is a thrifty, fine 

 grower but blighted considerable last season. 



3d. Roursk's Anis: a little under medium in size and in quality one of 

 the best of the Anis family; the tree is a close topped, moderate grower, 

 and appears hardy and free from blight. 



4th. Vargulek, size medium, form flat, conical, color greenish 

 yellow with a reddish cheek, a short stem, flavor acid, season about 

 December, trees vigorous growers but blighted considerably. 



The station orchard is doing well and did not suffer very much from 

 blight. The Warfleld No. 2 strawberry fruited with us this season and 

 promises to be as productive as the Crescent, the fruit is handsomer and 

 much firmer, and to our taste of better quality. The Jessie is not prov- 

 ing satisfactory except as a fertilizer for pistilate varieties. We have 

 now on trial in orchard, besides what has been previously reported, the 

 Catharine, (plum No. 1.) A number of seedlings that originated in 

 Wisconsin, and about 30 additional varieties of the new Russians, and the 

 Scott's Winter, besides seedlings of our own growing. The Russian pear 

 trees made a fine growth and were free from blight. 



The experimental orchard is yet too young to expect much fruit from 

 it. The season was unfavorable for a crop of plums. The heavy frost in 

 May occurred after most of the bloom had fallen from the trees and the 

 young fruit had formed, and only a portion of the larger ones matured 

 any fruit. The De Soto, Rollingstone and Cheney did the best with us. 

 The newer varieties were a total failure. We have secured for planting 

 in the spring, trees of the Peerless, Itaska, Estaline, Iowa Beauty and 

 Pattens Duchess No. 3. 



As the Horticultural Societies' stations are purely charitable institu- 

 tions conducted without cost to the society and for the future good of 

 the whole country, and from the fact that there will no profit accrue to 

 the planter from an orchard containing from one to a half dozen trees of 

 a variety even if all should prove hardy and good, we extend an invita- 

 tion to all parties who have new seedlings of promise to place a few with 

 us for testing and promise that their rights as originators or propa- 

 gators shall be respected. 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS BEFORE THE McLEOD COUNTY HOR- 

 TICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BY M. CUTLER, SUMTER. 



Ladies and Gentlemen : 



The task of preparing an agreeable and instructive address for an occa- 

 sion of this kind, is not an easy one for me. If I was engaged in horti- 

 cultural work alone it might be otherwise, but as I am a general farmer 

 I scarcely get my mind fixed upon a horticultural theme ere there arises 

 visions of pens filled with pigs anxious for their supper, colts pawing for 

 their oats, cows to be milked or poultry to be fed, so that you need not be 

 surprised if this paper proves to be a kind of a succotash arrangement. 

 To the great majority of horticulturists the past year has been one of 

 sorrow and disappointment, while to the lucky few who had a good crop, 

 it has been one of profit and gladness. We have heard of Kansas farmers 

 who realized over six thousand dollars for their apple crop. And even in 



