STATE HOKTICULTUKAI. SOCIETY. 315 



FEOM 0. E. SHAIs^NON. 



Granite Falls, Minn., May 8, 1885. 

 Your letter of the second instant inquiring as to the eftect of 

 the past winter on fruit in this section was duly received. In 

 reply will say that I see no bad effect yet on apples. They seem 

 to be starting as usual from the terminal buds and promise to 

 bloom freely. Strawberries, however, have not fared as well. 

 We had no snow in this section this winter and a few days of 

 very high wind, which in many instances blew off the covering 

 and I hear complaints from a good many places that the plants 

 seem to be dead. Later developments may show that apples 

 have sustained injury, but I see no evidence of it yet. All other 

 small fruits seem to have come through the winter in good sliape. 



FEOM M. PEAECE. 



LAKESIDE NURSERY AND ORCHARD, 



MiNNETONKA, May 9, 1885. 

 The past winter has been the severest on fruit trees that we 

 have had for twelve years. To what extent the trees are in- 

 jured at present I am not able to determine; but from careful 

 examinations made of various soils and locations I find a marked 

 difference. On high ground, with clay soil, trees are injured 

 the least. Of the varieties usually planted, that stood the win- 

 ter best, are Beach's Sweet, Giant Swaar, Kimball, Whitney No. 

 20, Duchess, Wealthy, and Orange; and it affords me great pleas- 

 ure to state (as hard as the winter has been) that I have one 

 Eussian variety that is as rapid a grower as the Transcendent; 

 fruit large, and a good quality; keeps as long as the Wealthy. 

 It came out in perfect condition this spring. I cut cions from it 

 and grafted this spring, and they are all growing. When this 

 and other good Eussian varieties are propagated and planted 

 over the State, I am confident we will have iron-clads that wull 

 stand, without injury, any Minnesota winter. I say to every 

 fruit grower, keep your courage up. The past winter has dem- 

 onstrated beyond all doubt what will stand through all winters, 

 let them be hot or cold. Growing trees and fruit is the business 

 of my life; have labored faithfully and hard, and I am not dis- 

 couraged; I see a bright prospect in the future for Minnesota. 

 It is my desire to go on record as one that assisted in bringing 



