STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 331 



REPORT OF R. M. PROBSTFIELD. 



The following letter and report of R. M. Probstfield, was then 

 read: 



MooRHEAD, Clay Co., Minn., January, 16, 1886, 

 S. D. Hillman, Sec'y. Minnesota State Horticultural Society: — 



Dear Sir: — Your note of January 9th received. Should have replied at once but 

 for the hope that I would be able to attend the winter meeting of the Society, next 

 week I am now convinced to my regret that I will not be able to do so. It is a 

 great disappointment to me. As T cannot be with you in the body, I will all the 

 same be with you in sympathy and spirit, and hope for a session abounding in suc- 

 cess, profit and pleasure to all attendants, the whole State, and in particular for 

 the good old wheelhorses of the Society who have contributed so much, to make 

 the Society and its meetings a blessing to the Northwestern states. 



Very truly and sincerely yours, 



R. M. Probitfield. 



REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF EXPERIMENTAL STATION. 

 By R. M. Pkobstpield, Moorhead. 



I have very little to report on. First, I would mention that on March 16, last, I 

 received from A. W. Sias of Rochester, the following cions : two Kimball, two 

 McMahon White, two Autumn Streaked and four Hart. On May 12th they were 

 grafted on as thrifty and sound appearing Transcendent stock (top graft) as I pos- 

 sessed, (had no other). I gave half of the cions to Chas. Brendermuhle of Krag- 

 ness, of Clay Co. Of mine, not one bud started. Brendermuehle reports the same 

 failure. I have been thinking that the cions were damaged during the time of 

 transmission by mail, which was during a very cold and severe spell of weather. 

 Two of the cions looked very bad and shriveled when received, the balance ap- 

 peared all right. They were kept in a cool cellar in a small box filled with earth, 

 tops of cions about three to four inches out of ground. 



I wish to amend my report of date April 9, 1885, somewhat. (Page 296 of Re- 

 port.) 



The Wealthy which I found at that date to have been damaged most, improved 

 wonderfully during the seas®n and got into fair shape for this winter, yet I have 

 no hopes for its hardiness in this region, and would advise experiments on only a 

 very limited scale. Whitney No. 20 is not altogether hardy here, but have still 

 some hopes for it ; would advise experimenting with only a few. Beach's Sweet 

 and Sylvan Sweet seem entirely recovered from last winter's damage and I feel en- 

 couraged to continue to try them. Transcendent is the only real iron-clad I 

 have tried, but is subject to blight of late years. 



Red and white Dutch currants, hardy as the oak here, and good bearers ; have 

 no other on trial. Turner's seedling raspberries, which I wintered for the first 

 time last winte r was but little injured, without any covering and no snow. The 

 wild raspberry, indigenous here is perfectly hardy, bears well and furnishes a good 

 supply for home use nearly every year. 



