STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 65 



freezing, we do not have auy trouble, if you only lay a few boards or 

 slicks over them, but if they are in exposed positions where the snow 

 blows off, your vines or bushes will be more or less injured. I think 

 the proper way is to lay them down and cover them with sawdust, just 

 enough to keep them from getting exposed; I think that is the surest 

 plan. I have adopted it with raspberries and roses and it has been a 

 perfect success this year, at any rate. 



Mr. H. H, Young, of St. Paul, being present, was called upon to 

 read a paper. He stated that he had been unable, from a press of 

 other duties to complete a paper in time to present it at the present 

 meeting, but would prepare a paper for the Society. 



Mr. Harris moved that Mr. Young be requested to complete his 

 essay and furnish it for publication in the transactions of this Society. 

 Carried. 



FRUIT REPORTS. 



Secretary Hillman presented the following report : 



Mr. President and Members: We desire to offer a few suggestions 

 ■which have come under our observation, in regard to the present con- 

 dition of fruit trees. 



On the first day of the present month of June, we had the pleasure 

 of visiting the orchard of a worthy member of our Society, namely, 

 Vice-president Dartt, at Owatonna, and will give a brief description of 

 what we saw while there. 



Mr. Dartt has a very pleasant and inviting location, and for many 

 years has taken great pains in caring for his orchard and nursery 

 stock. Upon inquiry he assured us that the prospect for a fruit crop 

 this season was not encouraging, as the past winter had been much 

 more disastrous to the trees than he had at first supposed. He said 

 that he was not disposed to despair entirely of success at fruitgrowing, 

 and would continue his efi'orts in this direction. He expressed grave 

 doubts, however, of the successful and profitable growth of standard 

 fruits, and intimated that he should rely more than ever, hereafter, 

 upon the crab and Hybrid varieties. He said further, that the past 

 winter had been the severest he had ever experienced in this State, that 

 a majority' of his standard trees were more or less injured to the snow 

 line. In proof of his assertions and conclusions Mr. Dartt invited us 

 out to take a stroll through his somewhat extensive orchard and nursery 

 grounds. On first going into his garden, we were shown a fine speci- 

 men of Hybrid seedling of Mr. Dartt's own propagation, a thrifty ten- 

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