as od sat ake] i Wri sre P gn ES 
SMALL FRUITS. re 
that have heretofore mildewed are now fruited successfully with the 
aid of liver of sulphur and the spray pump. 
Last spring we set out four acres of the Downing gooseberry and 
about one-fourth acre of a new variety not yet introduced, called the 
Queen. These were mostly two-year-old plants and pruned and 
trimmed according to Mr. Thayer’s directions as follows: All new 
buds that had started below the ground were broken or rubbed off 
and only the strongest cane allowed to remain, all branches or 
laterals being trimmed off between the surface of the ground anda 
point six to ten inches above, and the laterals above this point were 
trimmed out and cut back so that each bush was literally a well 
trimmed tree. 
These little trees made a wonderful growth even during the 
drouth of 1894, and presented a beautiful appearance in consequence 
of their tree shape and the green foliage which appears on them 
earlier in the spring than on any other small fruits, and holds this 
appearance in the fall after all other foliage is browned by severe 
frosts. I think, too, that their being set in exact straight lines both 
ways, allowing the visitor to observe the straight rows in six differ- 
ent directions, gave them a uniform geometrical appearance. These 
plants were set in rows seven feet apart and three and one-half feet 
apart in the row. 
We consider the Houghton and Downing the best varieties now 
. grown extensively, although several new varieties we consider 
promising, among them the Columbus, Red Jacket and Queen. 
That much heralded, much advertised English variety, the In- 
dustry, is as pronounced a failure wherever we have heard of it as 
with us. : 
The possibilities are from 300 to 500 bushels yield per acre, and 
the prices have averaged higher than currarts and about equal to 
prices of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. 
Minnesota and Wisconsin are sister states and alike interested in 
the growth of this new industry—our tastes, climate and soils are 
similar. Best varieties with us are best with you, the size of your 
cases should be the size of ours, our pints, quarts and bushels 
should be yours, and our markets being practically the same, we 
should work together as one family to the best interests of berries 
for the Northwest. 
REPORT ON SMALL FRUITS. 
WM. DANFORTH, RED WING. 
The season of 1894 has been unlike any year that we have had 
since I have been in Minnesota. The spring time was rather late; we 
uncovered our strawberries about the tenth of May. We generally 
have a frost about the fifteenth of May, and after that we do not 
have much fear of frost; but on the nineteenth of May we hada 
heavy frost. Our field was heavily covered with straw during the 
winter and had just been uncovered a few days; we had put it be- 
tween the rows so that it may have been some protection to the 
blossoms against the frost. We estimated our loss from five to ten 
percent. The crop from three and one-third acres was 190 bushels. 
