40 ANNUAL REPORT. 
In the spring of 1880 I found that they had froze back one-third of the new 
wood, 
Through the advice of Col. J. H. Stevens of Minneapolis, in order to test their 
merit as to hardiness, I hoed all grass and weeds from the roots in the fall of 
1879. My plan is to protect from the northwest winds by timber. The last 
summer without much cultivation, some of them made a growth of nearly four 
feet. I think they grow too late in the season to mature all the wood, but they 
branch liberally, and when cut back seem to do well and the wounds heal 
quickly. 
I would not hesitate to plant them on a tree claim in this country, provided 
they could have the shelter of other growing trees. 
The cottonwood is the only tree that made a greater growth than the Catalpa. 
I have experimented last season with cottonwood seed. This seed does best 
self sown, but will grow if sown before a shower in damp weather. I have crab 
apples in bearing, also the wild Raspberry which do better here than the culti- 
vated ones. 
DISCUSSION. 
(JuESTION. Condition of the apple wood now? 
Mr. Harris thinks it is bad, said the trees were cracked or split, 
and the sap oozing out on warm days; thinks though that the wood 
is well ripened. 
Mr. Pearce said that it was of little importance if the trees were 
split, and was no sign of permanent injury tothe tree. Said the 
bark of all green trees was liable to split. 
J. M. Underwood disagreed with Mr. Pearce, thought the crack- 
ing caused by the severe weather, and that the trees had suffered 
material injury, and asked why it was that trees with well ripened 
wood were injured last winter just as bad as those with poorly rip- 
ened wood ? 
Prof. Porter preferred to listen rather than give his views, as he 
was unfamiliar with soil and culture. He thought, however, that 
theories should be left and facts investigated. The cause of win- 
ter-killing is the expansion and rupture of the cells by frost, and 
when the sap had ceased running no great expansion can take 
place and danger will not be so great. Some plants possess the 
power to resist this freezing. Peach trees will freeze at 20 
degrees below; at 8 and 10 degrees below, the fruit and bear- 
ing wood is destroyed. If the bearing wood has ripened 
thoroughly the tree can support severe cold. Different trees can 
stand different degrees of cold. The germ of the fruit is often 
killed as this year in Delaware. Professor Porter stated that the 
Delaware peach crop will be a total failure, buds, germs and bear- 
ing wood having been totally destroyed; in all the years of the 
