236 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL -SOCIETY. 
REPORT OF C. F. MILLER, DUNDAS. 
Mr. President and Gentlemen: 
I have been a resident of this county hangin 28 years. A partial review 
of-the attempt at fruit growing for the last quarter of a century 
might be fitting and possibly of interest to some, at least. It is inter- 
esting to compare the present with the past once in a while. 
From 1864 to 1872, there seemed to be quite an interest in planting 
apple trees, with some pears, cherries, etc. In one orchard about 900 
apple trees had been planted in 1857. They had commenced bearing 
about the time of my advent to this state. Other orchards also, ef from 
100 to 500 trees each, were put out in those early years. 
Of the varieties that lived to bear considerable fruit were the Red 
Astrachan, Early Joe, Duchess, Keswick Codlin, Saxton, Fameuse, Golden 
and Perry Russett, Tolman Sweet, Winesap, Ben Davis, Haas, Plumb’s 
Cider and some others. 
The Flemish Beauty pear and the Karly Richmond cherry were fruiting 
to some extent in 1872. 
The spring of 1873 found nearly every bearing apple tree dead excepting 
the Duchess of Oldenberg. But few of those varieties that succumbed to 
the behest of the great Frost King in that memorable winter of 772 and 
°*73, were ever planted again in Minnesota. But the Duchess stood the 
pressure of that trying time most nobly, and some of the best of those 
Duchess which were planted out 20 years since, are still bearing, and 
promise fruit for a decade yet to come. 
What was to be done? Was everybody discouraged? Many were, but 
we would try again, but this time with much more caution. Smaller or- 
chards were set. The varieties reset were principally Duchess, some Haas, 
Tetofsky, Price’s Sweet, Wealthy, Utter’s Red, Malinda, Plumb’s Cider, 
Peach and others, with a long list of the Russians. The most of these 
varieties did well till the spring of 1880, when it was found that Sax- 
ton and Utter’s Red, with some of the Russians, were badly injured. A 
warm wave in October the fall previous, with 46° below zero Christmas 
morning, had done its work. The varieties left bore a good crop in 1882. 
The following winter being avery severe one did great injury to Price’s 
Sweet and the Haas. They were practically dead when the spring of 1883 
dawned upon them. Peach and Plumb’s Cider, and the Wealthy were 
much injured but not killed. Thesummer of i884 was a very fruitful one 
and everything that could bear did bear. With the Wealthy it was 
mostly their first or second crop. Late in September or early in October 
there came a hot spell, followed by unusual cold through December 
and January, and by the next spring (1885) all bearing trees excepting 
Duchess and Tetofsky were gone to the shades. 
A Mr. J. G. Miller, of East Prairie, (no relation of mine) had a few 
Duchess seedlings that were in good condition, though they had borne for 
several years. I had myself said that I would not set out any more apple 
trees in Minnesota, but an opportunity came for getting some of his seed- 
lings, which I then embraced, and in that spring (1885) I set of his seed- 
lings two varieties,and some of the Whitney No. 20,Strawberry, Longfield, 
Duchess, Wealthy, Meader’s Winter, Sweet Russet, and some other hy 
