STATE HORTrCULTURAL SOCIETY. 195 



and Catawaba, l)Oth late in ripening hut answered the purpose of demonstrating 

 the possibilities of grape culture. 



All will admit that the orchard and fruit garden add much to the enjoyment of 

 farm life, especiallj^ with the children. How many of us have in dreams in later 

 years lived over again the scenes of our childhood and the happiest of all were, 

 those when we were the first in the orchard in the early morning to gather the tirst 

 fruits which had fallen during the night. 



I could not advise the planting of extensive orchards of the apple, 1)ut I would 

 recommend the planting of a few trees of the apple or crabs on every farm, even 

 without a fair prospect of making a profit out of them. I believe this to be the 

 duty of every owner of a farm. Children relish the Transcendent crab; it is the 

 best medicine for them, and another thing, when boys have fruits at home they will 

 escape s'^'n'^what of the temptation to appropriate that which belongs to others. 



A larger list of desirable fruits can be grown in Minnesota and Dakota than in 

 the extreme Southern states of the Union. My attention was called to this fact 

 last winter at New Orleans by residents of that section. To be sure they have there 

 oranges, figs and cherries, and that about completes the list, except the shell fruits. 



Wild strawberries and red raspberries were quite plentiful last season in the 

 vicinity of Turtle mountain and Lake Minnewaken in Northern Dakota. 



Chokecherries of the best quality I ever tasted grow in the greatest abundance in 

 the so-called "bad lands," in Dakota. 



Strawberries and raspberries are among the most valuable of fruits. Currants, 

 gooseberries and the native plums are desirable also. They can all be successfully 

 grown all over Minnesota and Dakota. 



The grape can be profitably grown only in favored localities but in such locations 

 where good varieties have been planted and properly cared for they have returned a 

 greater profit than any other crop grown. 



The timbered portions of the Northwest are the most congenial to nearly all 

 kinds of fruit. Some kinds succeed best on northerly slopes; among these I will 

 name apples, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. The selection of varieties 

 is the most important step in the business. Unlike most other things the higher 

 priced are generally of the least value to the planter. At present there are many 

 new and untried kinds of fruit plants offered to the public; possibly some of them 

 may have some merit, but I would suggest touching these new things lightly, for if 

 they prove worthy they can be secured later at a moderate price. 



I will name some of the varieties of the different fruits which I consider the most 

 desirable for planting over the greatest range of count.iy. Of the apple famih- I 

 will name the Transcendent crab. ■ This sort can be depended upon to yield more 

 fruit than any of its kind. 



The Turner raspberry is the hardiest of all known sorts. Where it will not suc- 

 ceed, I doubt if it is much use to try any other. The quality of the fruit is as good 

 as the best. If it was as prolific as the Philadelphia (which exceeds all others in 

 this particular) it would stand very much above all others. 



The Wilson Strawberry is the best for general cultivation though it does not 

 always do well on sandy or light soils. It requires care in the growing season and 

 protection over winter. 



Among the blackcaps I will name the Doolittle and Seneca. None of the blacks 



