STATE HORTICULTUaA.L SOCIETY. 171 



DISCUSSION". 



Mr. Harris. Mr. President, I consider these four reports that we 

 have received of very great value to the State of Minnesota. 



On motion, it was carried that in speaking each member be limited 

 to five minutes, and to speak but once upon a subject until all who 

 desired to speak had spoken. 



Mr. Harris. One of the gentlemen spoke about the White Astrachaa 

 coming out perfectly well with him. I supposed it to be the hardiest 

 apple we have; but last spring I visited one tree that was perfectly 

 dead; so that it is not perfectly hardy under all conditions. 



Mr. Tuttle. I want to say that the White Astrachan as commonly 

 known is not the real White Astrachan, according to the description 

 given me. The tree that I received from the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment I think is not the true White Astrachan. It resembles very 

 much a tree coming from the department under the name of Gen. 

 Grant. It seems very hardy, and was not hurt at all last winter. 



Mr. Pearce. I think this is a question that ought to be discussed 

 very thoroughly. The propagators of these Russian fruits who have 

 handled the trees are perhaps most capable of forming a correct idea 

 of their value. I was very much pleased with the report of our friend 

 Ml'. Tuttle. Some pretend that the spring freezing kills our trees; 

 others say that the extreme cold of winter kills them. 



In the last few years some people seem to have formed the opinion 

 that it is the hard winds that kill the trees. The Russian varieties are 

 i>-enerally very early; they mature their fruit early; they cast their 

 leaves early; on this account last season they were injured after the 

 buds were out. The onl}* objection is they are short lived; they may 

 live five, six or seven years, but I will guarantee that time will bring 

 them. Here is the Yellow Transparent, and I might say forty or fifty 

 varieties that were scattered over this country ten or fifteen years ago; 

 they bore fruit; people thought they had a good thing. There came 

 such a year as last year, and the result was almost everything was 

 killed. I knew one variety that was apparently adapted to that par- 

 ticular kind of soil where it had been planted; it continued longer in 

 growing than the others. Now, those same varieties on high lands 

 .have come through, generally, in good condition. I have examined 

 trees all over the country, and have observed this to be true; while 

 on the low land, in warm localities, all the varieties of the Russians 

 were injured, especially the White Transparent. 



Mr. Tuttle. I have understood that the tree that is called the Trans- 



