^66 ANNUAL REPORT. 



Let us then unite in preaching this new Evangel, for in so doing we shall benefit 

 the health, morals and happiness of the whole community. 



Mr. Harris moved that Mr. Pearce be requested to read at this time 

 his paper on Orchard Management. 

 Adopted. 



Following is the paper of Mr. Pearce : 



FRUIT TREES AND THEIR ADAPTATION TO SOIL. 

 B}"- M. Pearce, Minneapolis. 



Growing apples in Minnesota, has been and is at the present lime a difficult ques- 

 tion to solve. To place each variety on the soil and location to which it is naturally 

 adapted will take time and years to fully determine. The loss of fruit trees is largely 

 due to a want of this important knowledge. 



The terrible destruction of fruit treesiast winter, viewed from the proper stand- 

 point, should not prevent the re-setting of many or all of the old varieties. 



It did not require inspiration or a prophetic eye to tell us, late in the fall of 1884, 

 that most of the fruit trees were doomed. On the first of January we wrote for the 

 winter's meeling, page 409 of the report of 1885, as follows: ''The winter has been 

 the hardest on fruit trees we have had for twelve years, and when the facts are 

 known, a sad lamentation will be heard in the west and northwest and all parts of 

 the country." The truth of this statement has been realized by thousands to their 

 great loss and sorrow. 



To expliin why this occurred as it did and to throw what light we can on the 

 subject we may to some extent here refer to the nature of fruit trees. It is just as 

 essential in order to preserve the health and life of fruit trees by the storing up of 

 food for winter's use, when the roots are not active, as it is for the ox or horse. 



During the growing season all the nourishment, or food, taken up by the roots 

 goes into growth, or fruit, except vy^hat is used to keep the trees in a normal condi- 

 tion. The sap cells that contain the winter's food are the completion of the 

 season's growth. At first they contain moisture and gas, which if the fall is favor- 

 able are soon displaced with starch. By examining the twigs or new wood when 

 this change has taken place you will find them stiff and hard and in condition for 

 winter. 



Had the latter part of the fall of 1884 been favorable for fruit trees they would 

 not have killed. The ground was moist, with plenty of rainfall, temperature ran up 

 for several days to sixty-five and seventy degrees, growing heat; the starch in fruit 

 trees in all warm localities, by heat and carbon, was changed to sugar; sap, excited 

 the roots to action, new growth commenced, the bark loosened, buds swelled, and 

 thousands of fruit trees were in bloom on the 20th of October, not only in Minne- 

 sota, but over the whole west as well as ia other parts of the country. For once in 

 my life to grow apples in Minnesota my faith weakened; [ never looked for spring 

 in October. A severe winter followed, and the destruction of fruit trees in Minne- 



