132 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
“SOME THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN FORTY YEARS EXPERIENCE AS AN 
ORCHARDIST IN WISCONSIN. 
“That the extreme and long continued cold of some of our winters and 
the excessive heat of the summer’s sun, with a dry atmosphere, are the 
main causes of injury. 
‘That the best grounds for orchard planting are the elevated, well 
drained, clay lands. 
‘That trees should be trained with bodies from 4 to 6 feet, according as 
their manner of growth is upright or spreading. 
‘*That the bodies of trees should be protected from the summer sun. 
“That the orchard should be cultivated in some hoed crop. Neither 
mercantable fruit nor healthy trees can be grown with trees long in sod. 
‘That it is necessary to wage continual war against insect enemies, and 
that they are more destructive in sodded than in cultivated ground. 
: A.G. LUTTE 
I would add, that the orchard is best on a northern slope, and after it 
comes into bearing must be kept well manured, necessitating the precaution 
of planting varieties not predisposed to blight. 
Horticultural progress has not been as rapid at the University as could 
be desired. About 1870 an orchard was planted on the southern slope of 
College Hill. A little later a larger orchard of the same and other varie- 
ties was planted on the northern slope. That’on the southern slope soon 
died out, while that on the northern slope became one of the most suc- 
cessful orchards in the state, and trees remained healthy and productive 
until two years ago, when the orchard was removed because it had become 
public plunder and was of no benefit to the University. Here are point- 
ers for somebody. New plantations of nursery stock have been made by 
Prof. Goff, present horticulturist, who is doing all in his power to promote 
horticultural interests. A kicker hints that scientists are not always 
practical workers, and that by sticking too closely to their books they are 
likely to get left behind in this progressive age. It occurs to me that too 
much is required from thé professor of horticulture in our agricultural 
colleges. In the first place, he must teach and he must find means for 
illustrating his teachings by practical demonstrations. This work well 
done would seem to be enough for one man, but in addition to this, he is 
expected to carry on, or at least oversee, somewhat expensive experiments 
in the garden, the nursery, the greenhouse and the orchard, and report 
results all for the public good. All this he may possibly do in a thorough 
and systematic manner, provided he has the assistance of well skilled 
laborers in each department. This skilled labor is not always supplied, 
and then he will surely be blamed for incompetency. 
Three sub-stations were established two years ago by the State Horti- 
cultural Society, which pays their expenses, amounting this year to less. 
than $100 each. In these stations the people express great confidence. 
One man said, that had they been established twenty years ago, it would 
have saved him $1,000. If the delay has cost one man so much, the loss 
to the state must have been immense. 
One advantage of these stations is the check they impose on persons. 
who seek to boom. new varieties for-personal gain. It is safe to declare 
that there is not now nor will there be a plant, vine or tree much superior 
to the best other plants, vines and trees of its class. Ifa doubt is enter- 
