332 ANNUAL EEPORT. 



Blackberries froze completely out last winter, despite the covering of about three 

 inches of soil over the bent vines. Houghton's seedling gooseberry froze badly 

 last winter ; no crop of them this year, but they stood the winters fairly well before 

 last winter. 



Strawberries froze out completely where not covered last winter ; where covered, 

 they came out all right, but crop very poor on account of hot, dry winds at the 

 critical time when beginning to set fruit. Has been so with me for the last three 

 seasons. 



As I was very well aware the Society was not in the possession of funds to supply 

 experimental stations with stock to experiment on, I made an effort on a small 

 scale to try some on my own account and applied to Mr. A. W. Sias of Rochester, 

 Minn., for ten kinds of his hardiest varieties of apples, using his own judgment in 

 the selection thereof. After receiving the trees from Mr. Sias, I applied to Mr. A. 

 G. Tuttle of Baraboo, Wis., to supply me with a number of varieties other than 

 those furnished by Mr. Sias, also to make his own selection with the request to 

 consider hardiness above quality. I will here offer my thanks to those gentlemen 

 for the furnishing of those selections at prices which probably will not pay for the 

 work of handling them, showing thereby their earnest striving for progress by 

 experiments in the cause of pomology, in regions heretofore supposed to have 

 been too rigorous a climate to grow apples. 



The following is the list of trees furnished by Mr. Sias : 



Two Red Anis, No. 985; one each of Early Champagne, 68; Russian Green, 

 382; Autumn Streaked, 964; Longfield, 161; Somerville Seedling; Red Black, 966; 

 Yellow Transparent, 334; McMahon White Seedling; Red Transparent, 333; Yellow 

 Anisette, 987; Revel Pear, 338. 



From Mr. A. G. Tuttle, two each of the following : Yellow Anis, Long Arcade, 

 Glass Winter, Hibernal, Blue Anis, Whitney No. 20, Arabian, Green Streaked, and 

 Enormous. 



I shall try to add a few more to this list if I can obtain them, and if any 

 members of the Society, or new members attending, have anything as hardy or 

 hardier not contained in this list, I would like to correspond with them. I should 

 like to try about twelve or fifteen varieties more, if there are that many in existence 

 to-day with any reasonable show of being hardy enough for this climate. 



I had intended to apply to Professor Porter of the University for some, but was 

 told that there were no trees to spare for a year or so. I should be glad if anyone 

 could inform me where I can inquire with a reasonable prospect of obtaining a few 

 more hardy varieties not contained in the list given. 



President Smith here announced that a number of papers on the 

 program for the afternoon v^ould be read at this time. 



The Assistant Secretary then read the following paper : 



FRUIT FOR FARMERS FAMILIES. 



By O. M. LoBD, Minnesota City. 



With most farmers, where you have discussed apples, the subject of fruit is 

 exhausted. The cultivation of small fruit is supposed to demand more labor and 



