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60 ANNUAL REPORT. 
[ am somewhat inclined to believe that the botany of a country has some in- 
fluence as regards its adaptability to fruit culture. The counties of Houston and 
Winona have an abundant supply of timber for fuel and some that is valuable 
for lumber and manufacturing purposes. These counties and others that are 
similarly wooded, have thus far proved the best for growing the apple. Being 
engaged in making a collection of Minnesota wood, I am able to give you a very 
complete list of such woods and woody plants as are growing there in their na- 
tive forests, Coniferae, Pine family. In this family sub order 1, we have the 
Pinus Strobus, L. (white pine) growing isolated or in small groves in positions 
along the Mississippi and Root rivers and their tributaries, where fires have 
been able to run, and the Larix Americana, Micha, (Tamarac) only in Swamps 
on Pine creek. In sub order 2, Juniperis Virginiana, L. (Red Cedar) and J. 
Communis L. (common trailing juniper) are often met with upon the steep rocky 
sides ot the bluffs. This family is too meager to influence soil or climate. The 
Cupuliferee (Oak family) is a numerous family, and in some of its species 
abounds in all sections, quereus alba, L., (White Oak) 2 Qercus macrocarpa. 
Miche, (Burr Oak) and querecus Rubra, L. (Red Oak) are the most common on the 
uplands, and as brush or small trees they often form thickets in places that were 
without timber, while the annual fires were suffered to run; where fires have 
not run they have grown to large size and have been used extensively for fencing, 
cord wood, staves and house logs, quercus tinctoria Bartram, (Black Oak) is fre- 
quently met with as a large tree, but seldom as a young growth, quercus Prinus, 
L. (swamp White Oak) is a majestic tree and was formerly abundant upon the 
low lands bordering the mvers. I have seen trees 4 to 5 feet in diamater and 
50 feet withont branches. Quercus falcate, Micha, (Spanish Oak) is plentiful on 
dry and sandy terraces,usually a small tree esteemed for fuel. Corylus Americana, 
Walt (Wild Hazel Nut) is a very common shrub, growing 4 to 8 feet high, and 
is spreading so rapidly as to become injurious to the pasturage. Carpinus 
Americana, L. (Blue or Water beech) is somewhat rare, but Ostrya Virginica, 
Willd, (Iron Wood or Thop Hornbeam) is abundant in cool and rocky situa- 
tions, usually a small tree but sometimes a foot in diamater and 30 feet high. 
Julgandie (walnut family). This family is represented by two Julgans and 
Carya. J. Cincere L. (butternut) is abundant in all the valleys and at the foot 
of the river blutts. J. Nigra, L. (black walnut) is most plenty in Root River 
Valley, but is occasionally seen along other streams. Cara amara (bitternut) is 
abundant in the same localities. C. Alba (shag-bark hickory) is plentiful upon 
the bluffs and side hills and is not found in other parts of the State. Betulace 
(birch family). In this family is found Betula alba (white birch), B. Papgrocz 
(paper birch), B. Excelsa, Ait. (yellow birch), B. Lenta, L. (cherry birch), Alnus 
jncana wild (speckled alder). The willow family is represented by some six or 
eight species of the Salix, only the black willow becoming a sizeable tree. Popu- 
lus grandidenta, michx (great toothed poplar), P. tremulodes (american aspen), 
P. monilifera, Ait. (cottonwood). The poplars are fast growing trees and the 
last attains to great size. Of the elm family we have two distinct types of the 
Ulmus americana, called by the common people, water and rock elm, and the 
U. Flura, (red or slippery elm) and Celtis occidentalis (hackberry). In the olive 
family is Fraxinus americana, L. (white ash), F. quadrangulata (blue ash), F . 
viridus (green ash, doubtful, F. Sambucsifolia (black or water ash), This family 
with the last is more abundant on the alluvial river bottoms. In the honey- 
suckle family is found sparingly symphoricarpus occidentalis (wolf berry), Loni- 
va 
