STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 161 
of the great difference in the bearing of orchards. Some orchards 
there were almost entire failures, while in orchards near by there 
was a passable crop. On inquiry, I found that the passable crop 
was gathered from trees that were well mulched, or left in grass 
sod. Now, I wouldn’t be understood as advocating or advising 
mulching and loaming trees in.sod. But it is a fact with us that 
the trees that were mulched or left in grass bore better than those 
that were cultivated. I received one of those blanks presented 
here, and, as far as I can judge, the crop raised amounted to 1,000 
bushels, including crabs. There were imported to Owatonna, in 
all, about 3,500 bushels. . Think it was the smallest crop we ever 
had. Crabs have failed more than the apples. The trees that 
»were mulched and sodded didn’t come to fruit so soon as the culti- 
vated ones, and consequently they didn’t die. 
MR. HALL’S PAPER. 
The Secretary. I have a communication here from Mr. Hall, 
of Rochester, on the strawberry, which probably ought to have 
been read while we were discussing that subject. 
It was moved to be placed on file, which motion was carried. 
The following was the paper: 
RocHEstEeR, Minn., Jan. 19, 1880. 
U. Y. Lacy, Bsq., Minneapolis, Minn. ,— 
DEAR Sir: I received the circular of yours, and regret my inability to 
attend the meeting of the State Horticultural Society. I have been culti- 
vating strawberries to some extent for several years past, and perhaps a word 
upon my experience would be of interest. I regard my location as one of 
the best in Southern Minnesota, and have always succeeded in getting a 
crop of berries. This last season my vines were heavily laden with fruit, 
notwithstanding the discouraging reports of other small fruit men, who lost 
their berries by frost-killing. My location is a side-hill, sloping to the west, 
affording ample drainage. The soil is rich, black sand; new ground, but 
has never been manured. I have fifteen different varieties, including such 
standard varieties as the Green Prolific, Wilson, Cramer’s Seedling, Hart 
Seedling, etc. Am cultivating about two acres of ground. The yield last 
season was at the rate of 200 bushels per acre, only a portion of the ground 
bearing, owing to a part of the vines being pistillate. And right here I 
may drop a word of caution to those who desire to plant largely, not to 
patronize irresponsible men who palm off pistillates for productive plants. 
I advise thorough cultivation, for in this lies the secret of success. Some 
of my berries this year measured 44g inches in circumference, and were 
delicious in flavor, as the members of our County Society can bear testi- 
mony. 
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