STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 419 



county, nearly as far north as latitude 45°, and on ray return I 

 succeeded, with the aid of postmaster A. L. Hutchinson, at Weyau- 

 wega, in that county, in finding the address of the grower, Mr. 

 Bennett, who furnished the following particulars about the trees : 

 The seed was obtained from Grotou, Mass., and planted in the 

 year 1858. The next year the young trees were transplanted 

 to fence corners. There are ten of them growing on Mr. 

 Bennett's place, all in good condition, and being now 26 years old. 

 The soil is sandy, with gravelly clay subsoil. Temperature fell, at 

 Weyauwega, last winter as low as 40° below zero. Accompanying 

 the following letter from Mr. Bennett were samples of sound wood, 

 cut from the trees above mentioned. 



LETTER FROM MR. BENNETT. 



Weyauwega, Wis., Jan. 9, 1884. 



Oliver Gihbs, Jr. 



Dear Sir: — A reply to all of your questions would take 

 more time than I have at present. However, I would like to say 

 a few words. 



My experience in growing chestnuts would be to get your seeds 

 as far north as they will be mature before the frost opens the 

 burs. Keep them moist till the following spring, but do not let 

 them mould. Plant in drills, cover about two inches deep, make 

 as much growth the first year as possible. Mulch the ground 

 around the roots, winters, till some of the roots have gone below 

 the frost line. When they do not make a good growth the first 

 year, take them up in the fall, heel them in the cellar, and set out 

 in the spring. 



I have never lost any Chestnut trees by frost or cold winters. 



My trees are 25 to 35 feet high. They are 10 to 15 inches in 

 diameter, and bear well. I have no trees to sell. 



ALVIN S. BENNl^TT. 



P. S. I have some seedling apple trees that stand our 40° below 

 zero, and the fruit is good.* 



* Mr. Bennett's seedling apple orchard is described by Mr. Springer in bis report on 

 the Waupaca Seedlings. See page 196. Secretary. 



