410 ANNUAL REPORT. 



FROM ESMOND, DAKOTA. 



F. G. Dewey, of Esmond, in renewing his membership for 1886 

 writes : 



Our section where we are located was only settled three years ago, 

 although a few settlers were here north of us four years ago and it 

 has been settled there five to seven years; therefore our knowledge of 

 horticulture is limited, as we have been in the business only three 

 years. Apple trees being very young here have produced hardly any 

 fruit in this section. Crabs and the varieties known as "iron-clads'^ 

 are doing fairly well. Plums and cherries are quite unknown. Goose- 

 berries, currants and strawberries are doing splendidly here and will 

 grow fair crops; also Turner raspberry and Gregg (where covered); 

 grapes and Snyder blackberry has been nearly a failure here. 



FROM BURLEIGH COUNTY, DAKOTA. 



Emil J. Claussen of Bismarck, under date of May 29, 1886, writes: 



The percentage of growing fruit trees is less each year, but I am 

 not discouraged as yet. From all indications we need hardier roots to 

 graft on than we have had so far, for this latitude and longitude. The 

 extremes and peculiarieties of this climate are beyond belief to one 

 not a resident. I have a grafted Russian plum which has set a few 

 plums this spring, no apple blossoms as yet; small fruit does well with 

 proper care. 



We clip the following from the Minneapolis Weekly Tribune, under 

 date of Dec. 10, 1885, from the pen of Mr. Gideon of Excelsior: 



FRUIT OUTLOOK FOR THE NORTHWEST. 

 By Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior. 



Perhaps a few items on the apple question would be of interest tO' 

 some of your readers, seeing the extent of last winter's ruin is now 

 fully developed. 



In traveling through Wisconsin, Iowa and southern Minnesota, it 

 was sickening to behold the ruin of orchards, and but few live trees 

 that showed health. In all my journeying the best, and I might say 

 the only good show of live trees, was at C. G. Patten's, Charles City, 

 Iowa. With great care he has been growing new seedlings, and with 

 grand success. Trees strong in growth and as perfect in health as if 

 they had never seen a winter, and with death or dying of old ironclads 



