STATE HOKTICULTUBAL SOCIETY. 327 



I am on the prairie, but near the big timber in the northern part of 

 this county. Those who are raising grapes have had good crops of 

 fruit. The raspberry crop was very good and the strawberry crop was 

 most excellent. The varieties most grown there are the Wilson, 

 Crescent and Countess. The latter variety has done exceedingly well. 

 My own seedlings you all know about and I do not need to mention 

 them. 



Mr. Cutler. I made a report as Vice President. I don't think it is 

 necessary to make any further report. 



The Secretary then read the following : 



REPORT FROM CLARENCE WEDGE, ALBERT LEA. 



The blight entered my orchard three years ago and after disposing of the Hyslops 

 and greatly injuring the Transcendents it last season affected every variety in my 

 orchard, the Wealthy and the Maiden Blush seriously, the Duchess, Tetofsky and 

 Elgin Beauty, the Whitney and Briar Sweet slighty. The Wealthy has in some 

 cases thrown up strong suckers, and I am now in doubt whether to save them or 

 grub up the old trees and plant anew. 



The Duchess lost the greater share of its fruit buds by the winter, but saved 

 enough to produce a good crop. Rollins Pippin winter-killed outright, while the 

 Elgin Beauty by its side came out fresh and resisted the blight, which I consider a 

 good showing for this variety, considering that it was set the season before and on 

 account of poor roots was barely able to live through the summer. 



Through the kindness of Prof. Budd I was able last spring to set out a little 

 orchard of yearling Russian apples and pears, and a few willows and poplars. The 

 apples made a strong and the pears a feeble growth. The willows and poplars were 

 very distinct and interesting. Snlix Laurifolia is certainly as beautiful as a willow 

 can be, its leaves having a thick glossy polish resembling a heavy coat of varnish. 



My vineyard has been the most satisfactory part of my fruit garden, beginning 

 with a half dozen vines cared for in a most ignorant and unsystemaiic manner, it 

 has ever proven^a most reliable and bountiful source of fruit, and such fruit too as 

 made us the envy of our neighbors. I have fruited the Concord and Delaware five 

 years with but one failure and that but partial. The Agawam, Massasoit, Champion 

 and Cottage as two-year old vines bore a few branches last season. The Telegraph 

 and Prentiss although rank growers have failed to ripen any wood for two years and 

 a large share of the vines are dead. For our latitude a variety equal to the Concord 

 and ripening a little earlier 1 should consider about perfect. The Cottage promises 

 to be of about this description; it certainly is of a much more vigorous habit than 

 the Worden or Moore's Early and I think it may deserve more attention than it is 

 receiving at the hands of the planters of this State. 



The De Soto plum is a favoite with us, it is abundantly fruitful and its season 

 being later than that of our wild plum, the time of sitting under our own plum 

 tree is very pleasantly prolonged. 



