158 ANNUAL REPORT. 
First Planting in 1858. 
We came to this State in 1856, and the fall of 57 went back to the State of 
Michigan ; returned in the spring of ’58, bringing with us about 100 one- 
year trees of apple, plum and cherry, and several sprouts of currants,. 
which we planted on our claim. 
They all grew finely the first season, but the following winter killed the: 
cherry trees, while the plum and apple trees were more or less injured. 
Many of the apple trees were entirely killed. They continued to kill back 
each winter, and when we went into the army in ’61, not more than eight or 
ten remained, which we left in charge of a neighbor, but on our return in 
°64, found nothing left of any of them but the currants, which were doing 
well and in bearing. Like many others, we then said that apples could not 
be grown in Minnesota. Two years after we saw fine fruit growing im 
Hennepin Co., which was more than we ever expected to see, and right. 
there [made up my mind if others could grow apples, J could. This was. 
the fall of °66. But how to go to work to do this was a question we could 
not solve. 
Second Planting in 1867. 
Fortunately a tree peddler came along taking orders for a nursery in Wis- 
consin. He had cuts and drawing of fine fruit, and of course they were all 
hardy, warranted to stand any winter. 1 gave my order for $30.00 worth,,. 
consisting of Ben Davis, Golden Russet, Perry Russet, Tolman Sweet, Sweet. 
Pear, Red Astrachan, and several other kinds. 
They came in the fal] and set the next spring. We then set from twenty_ 
five to fifty each spring until ’72. All had grown well and some had 
blocmed the spring of ’72. In the fall of ’72 we set in orchard, about 75 
one-year old trees, (Minn. grown) and planted them out as soon as we got 
home. But oh! what a sight in the spring of ’73, our yearlings that was- 
set in the fall, were nearly all dead, there being six wealthy in the lot, that 
was not killed only down to the snow; Winsted Pippin the same, and both 
the Wealthy and Winsted are now fine trees and in bearing, and of the 
others that had been set from one to five years, many were dead, while 
others leaved out and died before fall. That spring I received a circular 
from Mr. John §. Harris, to be filled out, giving names of varieties that had 
been winter killed and of those that had come through the winter without. 
any injury. Those that were then leaved out nicely and showed but little 
signs of injury, died before the middle of July. The most of them were root- 
killed, and to-day I have only two trees left that was of that lot and those are 
the Duchess, and of the yearlings above referred to about twelve. 
About this time we began to think that a man must be educated in horti- 
culture before he could be successful in growing apples; since which time: 
we have planted nothing in our orchard that was not Minnesota grown, or, 
if grown elsewhere, had proved itself worthy. We commenced here with 
our bare hands, with no resources, only what we earned by hard labor; had 
deprived ourselves of many comforts of life to save money to pay for fruit 
trees, and all trees purchased previous to the hard winter of ’72 and ’78 cost. 
from 50 cents to $1.00 each, of which we had about 250. But we did not give: 
up in despair, but dug out the dead ones and reset with others. 
