GENERAL FRUITS. 255 
bly larger than has ever before been grown in the state; but the larger 
portion of this fruit is both inferior in size and quality, with prices to 
correspond, the best selling at $3 per bushel and the poorest at $1. 
We cannot, under the most favorable circumstances, say much for the 
general apple crop about the lake, and this being the off year for this fruit 
comparatively few will be gathered during the coming autumn. 
With regard to our native plums, we can only say that early in the sea- 
son the trees gave great promise by their abundant bloom, but the crop 
did not set well and consequently the gathered crop will be small. 
The crop of grapes will be the largest and best that has ever been grown 
about the lake, unless some unusual disaster befalls it. The vines seem 
to have fully recovered from the exhaustion consequent on mildew. and 
the large crop of fruit they vainly tried to ripen three years since. 
Asfor the prices of strawberries and raspberries, they have been and 
are fair, in spite of the large amount of fine fruit shipped into our market 
from regions further south. As a promise of a large harvest of grapes 
comes to us from all sections of the country, both south and east, it is not 
probable that Minnetonka fruit will bring as large a price as it has during 
years past, but if we have a favorable season for its ripening and it be 
placed on the market in attractive and honest packages, it will doubtless 
bring remunerative prices. 
REPORT FROM DEWAIN COOK, WINDOM. 
(Read at the Summer Meeting.) 
I send you ashort report from this place this season. 
Strawberry crop was about nothing, owing to late spring frosts. 
The currant and gooseberry crops are fine. Grapes are promising. 
The raspberrry crop is going to be large in spite of the snowy-tree cricket, 
selling at 15 cents per quart; will probably not go below 123 cents. 
Cherry trees-are bearing some; Early Richmond doing finely. 
The Russian Kruskaye (wild pear), grown by the Russian Mennonites, 
are, I am told, loaded with fruit. 
The Russian mulberry is a suré cropper, and as usual are loaded, but the 
fruit is of value except as bird food. 
The apple crop promises to be a fair one. 
Tho plum crop is immense, both wild and cultivated. Some trees are 
unable to hold up under the load, and are breaking down. Ihave braced 
up many trees, but it is probable that many trees will bedestroyed. I be- 
lieve the Wolff plum, taking size into considration, is bearing a little the 
heaviest of any. I also have some Russian plum trees that are bearing a 
few plums. The plums are very large. 
We are having rain in abundance; field crops are looking good. 
Garden truck was mostly taken by cutworms. 
