252 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



FRUITS IN THE KED RIVER VALLEY. 



E. W. HASELTINE, GRAND FORKS, N. D. 



Mr. PresideM, ladies and gentlemen: 



Being requested by your worthy secretary, Mr. A. W. Latham, to write an 

 article on " Fruits in the Red River Valley," I hope the society will not 

 expect too much from an inexperienced writer, although I have had a 

 few years experience in hardy fruit culture in thi^ climate. 



Coming here in 1879, when there was nothing to be seen but a vast 

 prairie, dotted here and there with a small board or log cabin, it looked 

 very discouraging to a new beginner to enter the vocation of a nursery- 

 man, and raise forest and fruit stock for a country so near the 49th 

 parallel. 



First, I concluded to make a thorough investigation as to the kinds of 

 wild fruit to be found, there being no tame varieties within 100 miles or 

 more in any direction. 



On the prairie was found in abundance the wild strawberry of fine 

 quality and size; season, about two weeks later than in southern Minnesota. 



In the timber along the Red River and its tributaries red raspberries, 

 gooseberries, black currants, Juneberries and two varieties of plums 

 were growing in abundance, constituting some of the best wild fruits of 

 this section. These fruits were also found on the prairies in some 

 localities, where they had escaped the prairie fires. 



There were other varieties of less importance, such as grapes, bearing 

 perhaps once in three or four years, depending on the season, and high bush 

 cranberries, used more or less for jellies. 



This investigation soon convinced me that I could succeed with small 

 fruit with proper care on the prairie. By planting a windbreak 

 around the plot intended for nursery or garden, there would be no 

 trouble in raioing all the hardy fruits that flourish in timbered sections 

 of this latitude, other things being equal. 



So we are able by our experience to give a short list of fruits that have 

 been growing here in the valley during the past thirteen years, that have 

 proved a complete success. 



Currants. — There need not be any discrimination as to variety to 

 plant as all do well, only some seem to bear better than others, namely: 

 Cherry, Victoria, Fay's Prolific and White Grape. There is one pleasure 

 in raising currants here, we have not been troubled with insects as are 

 sections further south. 



Gooseberries.— The Houghton Seedling does well ; the Downing and 

 some other varieties tried need covering or they will winter kill to some 

 extent. There is no complaint in this climate as to mildew. 



Raspberries. — We have tried a number of varieties and find the 

 Philadelphia and Turner in red, and Mammoth Cluster in black, succeed 

 the best. If covered in the fall with earth or coarse litter, we are quite 

 sure of a good crop the following year. 



Blackberries. — The Ancient Briton do best, but canes need covering 

 with earth in the fall to save winter-killing. 



Strawberries. — Many varieties have been tried: none so successful as 

 the Wilson and Crescent Seedling. The Crescent is much the hardiest and 

 best bearer, where planted along side of the Wilson. On plots from one to 

 three acres I have found the strawberry the most profitable of all of the 

 small fruits. 



