96 ANNUAL REPORT. 



clad up to this time, the origin of which is generally believed to be of a Siber- 

 ian parentage; that we have great expectations from seedlings such as Peter M. 

 Gideon, and others have propagated, and are in great hopes that the Russian varie- 

 ties so extensively introduced may prove hardy. The iron clads already mentioned, 

 with the numerous Russians, together with the hybrids — say the Whitney, the 

 Beeches Sweet, and near .fifty other semi-crab sorts, will, it is believed by our most 

 practical fruit growers in an early year — furnish us an abundant supply of apples. 

 The native wild, and the descendents from them, gives us a good supply of plums, 

 just about as good as any of the tame varieties that are raised in the east. 



Second. There is not a state in the Union that excels us in the production of 

 small fruits; currants, gooseberries, strawberries and raspberries are all at home in 

 our soil. It is to be greatly regretted that the blackberry could not be added to the 

 list, in order that it should be complete, but it is almost proven to a certainty by 

 many of our best fruitgrowers, that such varieties as the Ancient Briton, Stone's 

 Hardy and the Snyder, may yet with proper care be grown with success. 



Third. Grapes of many varieties are certain, and an exceedingly profitable crop. 

 We bid fair to rival the vine clad regions of the old country in their product. They 

 are within the reach of all, no farmer or gardener nor householder can afford the 

 abscence of the luxury from their premises. 



With these considerations it is difficult to arrive at any other conclusion than the 

 practabilit}^ of growing fruit in this State. If it could be proved, that no man had 

 ever made money for his labor through fruit growing in Minnesota, as an occupa- 

 tion, and that all following it had been always obliared to restrict themselves to the 

 greatest economy, in order to gain a livelihood, that it never in any instance paid a 

 fair profit on the capital invested, then. indeed, we might be somewhat disheartened, 

 and might consider our case rather a hopeless one. But a very different state of 

 things can be proven. It is well known that our fruit growers in the vicinity of 

 St Paul and Minneapolis, have made money, especiallj' this is so with our small 

 fruit and grape growers. I speak of those, because I am acquainted with them, if 

 those engaged in this industry in the neighborhoods mentioned here made it pay — 

 others throughout the State can, in like manner make it pay. It is a true saying 

 that "whatever man has done, man may do." 



I do not deny but what to produce fruit of the larger varieties requires patience 

 and practice and work in this climate. The powers of earth, air, frost and water 

 have joined those of the far distant sun, and during the hitherto rather short life of 

 most of our apple trees, there has been an example of a complication of the most 

 wonderful laws of nature. It seems to have been ordained that every step in the 

 knowledge of apple growing must be won by trial and exertion, and thus it has 

 been during the past year ; we are only able to slowlv unfold the wonders that 

 occurred by the severe test of the winter of 1885; wonders we might add that are 

 occurring on every side during the every day experience of horticultural life. The 

 field, too, widens as we advance, until we find that ever}' step has its consequence; 

 every breath of air its appointed mission; every drop of due its office to perform ; 

 we discover that we are in the midst of causes and results, of which our knowl- 

 edge is limited ; that the threads we have seized only guide us to new and more 

 difficult labyrinths of investigation. What we know dwindles away, when we 

 compare it with the sum of that which we desire to know. We realize we have 



