56 ANNUAL REPORT. 
Planting. 
Mr. Phillips. Many think they must dig down to hard soil. 
Now, there the roots have not enough heat to start the sap; they 
are too far down. I know one that set down very deep to protect 
the roots from frost, and now they are all gone. | set mine as 
deep as they naturally grow, and they all do well. I have used 
pumpkins for shading my trees, and they did very well. They 
do not draw the moisture from the trees. Pumpkin vines did best 
for me. 
Mr. Harris moved to adjourn till 9 o’clock to-morrow morning; 
which motion was carried. 
WEDNESDAY MORNING. 
The meeting was called to order by President Grimes at 9:30 
o’clock. 
The exercises were opened by vocal music rendered by Miss 
Grimes, and followed by prayer by Rev. E. S. Williams. 
M. W. COOK’S PAPER. 
The regular order of the programme was then proceeded with, 
being a paper on Strawberry Culture by Mr. M. W. Cook, of 
Rochester, which was a follows : 
STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 
BY M. W. COOK, ROCHESTER, MINN. 
Mr. President and Members of the Horticultural Society: 
Unfortunately several of the larger fruits do not flourish in this climate; 
and, though the growing of apples is an assured success with us, our orch- 
ards are yet young and scattering, and we must still wait many years before 
having a full supply of this fruit. It is to be regretted that this deficiency 
is not bridged over by the general cultivation of the small fruits. Even if 
we had the larger fruits in profu-ioa, the small fruits would richly merit a 
place in every garden. How much more, then, ought they to be esteemed 
in the present condition of things? Contrary to the opinion of some people, 
not well informed on the subject, there is, perhaps, no State in the Union 
better adapted to the cultivation of several of the most valuable of the small 
fruits than Minnesota. 
