STATE HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 333 



skill than they possess, or can command ; nearly all, in opening their farms, have 

 set apple trees and some have tried the smaller fruits, but success has not been 

 general. One of the common mistakes has been in the selection of varieties, another 

 has been in starting upon too small a scale. A dozen plants only have been pur- 

 chased ; when the quantity should have been at least a hundred. The smaller 

 quantity is put in some out of the way place and neglected, when a larger number 

 would have received proper attention. If a small quantity of plants is set in some out 

 of the way pla(;e, it requires hand labor to care for them, which is always the most 

 expensive and hard to command of any on the farm. Hand labor is really the great 

 bugbear of small fruit raising. If farmers could be convinced that a good supply 

 of small fruits could be raised, with no more work than should be given to a crop 

 of corn or potatoes, many a family would enjoy a plenty that now rarely see any 

 upon their tables. With such as do not like fruit, I have no argument. I have never 

 seen a child who did not like it, nor a woman, nor a man whose taste was not per- 

 verted. It is not claimed that we can grow all kinds of fruit in Minnesota, profitably, 

 but it has been demonstrated that we can successfully raise apples, plums, grapes, 

 strawberries, raspberries and blackberries when our climatic conditions are well 

 understood; and when varieties and methods of cultivation are carefully considered 

 our success is reasonably certain. *• 



I shall not attempt to discuss with farmers, the preparation of the soil for fruit 

 raising, the authorities all agree upon that part of the subject. In regard to 

 adaptation of different varieties, to the various soils, too little is generally known. 

 It is, however, well understood that for climatic reasons we cannot depend upon 

 the old standard varieties of apples of the eastern or middle states and that there 

 are kinds that succeed here, no well informed person will dispute. The plums, 

 commonly cultivated at the east and south have not succeeded here, and there are 

 natives indigenous here that compare favorably in quality with any of them^ and 

 in character of tree, hardiness, productiveness, and ease of propagation far surpass 

 them. No farmer need be without this very desirable fruit, as this is its natural 

 home, and it is adapted to any variety of soil found here, and to almost any kind 

 of treatment as to cultivation. D. B. Wier, a prominent fruit grower, says 

 he has solved the problem of producing native plums in any quantity, viz : to plant 

 different kinds close together (mainly for fertilization) from four to six feet in rows, 

 twelve feet apart. An indiscriminate selection of trees from the woods is not 

 desirable, a better way is to plant the seed from such as are satisfactory, and con- 

 tinuously select the best; or if a superior kind can be found to propagate by graft- 

 ing. Experiments have proved that it pays to give the trees of any variety thorough 

 cultivation. They may produce a single crop or more, while standing in the grass, 

 but they will not continue to bear and do well in that condition. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Not one farmer in ten is supplied with strawberries of his own growing. 



So much has been published in regard to this fruit, that little remains to be said, 

 although its habits of growth, and the methods of cultivation are so well known, 

 failures in the production of fruit are common. Beginners are confused with tbe 

 numerous kinds advertised, and make mistakes with the varieties in regard to 

 fertilization and adaptability to different soils. 



