126 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
would not care to speak in anything like such strong terms of their 
future success. 
The facts are that with the exception of one orchard the tests have 
been made on sites that are third and fourth rate sites. In short, we 
have the varieties on the best site duplicated by the same varieties 
that have been bearing successfully both before and since ’84 to ’85 
on sites that rate no higher than numbers three and four. 
You should know the varieties we have succeeded with on that 
plan. I will here note some few well known varieties that were all 
grafted before ’84, and that nearly all bore before then and since, 
and will guarantee to convince any one who may wish to examine 
that the trees today will average as sound and as healthy as the 
Duchess in the selfsame orchard. Mr. Heiss has the Jonathan, the 
Ct. Seek-no-further, the Nod Head, the Wrightman’s Russett, the 
Blanche, Ben Davis, Fall Orange, Willow Twig and others. I have 
on my grounds and where I have grafted the Fall Orange, the 
Minkler, Ben Davis, N. W. Greening, the Antonvoka, the Grand- 
mother and Wolf River. Mr. Heiss has also the Walbridge and the 
Bethel. , 
Now, in conclusion I want to say to my brother farmers and others 
who love all those big apples, those fine red and rich yellow apples, 
come and examine our work and learn, both of our successes and 
our failures, and then go to work intelligently, and success will 
surely reward your efforts. 
See that your stock is healthy and extremely hardy. See that the 
varieties are reasonably adapted to the stock you wish to set them on. 
In short, do not expect to grow all the most tender varieties; keep 
within reason. Commence at once on those worthless crabs and 
other hardy worthless fruit you now have and that encumber your 
grounds. Neveremploy an Eastern orchardist todo your grafting, 
far better to learn what is strictly necessary to success here in our 
climate and then do your own grafting, or train your best boy to do 
this work properly, and, my word for it, you will reach success by a 
much nearer and surer route than can be found through either the 
seedlings or the Russians. 
We now have two great beacon lights before us, each all ablaze. 
Then, let us get our eyes open at once and climb out. The road by 
cross-breeding is freighted with the most valuable results in the 
end. This road is for the young men. 
But for us who are showing gray hairs, let me say, take to the one 
short and sure road to success, by topworking our choice old varie- 
ties on to extremely hardy trees,such as the Hibernal,Virginia crab, 
Duchess and many others. That this plan is both advisable and 
feasable, I have no more doubt than I have that the sun will set to- 
night and rise again tomorrow.” 
