a ~~ =”, ore 
EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 183 
developed we thought now we hada tree that would stand the climate 
of Minnesota, of Russian origin, besides the Hibernal and Duchess, 
but now we find it to all appearance to be the Hibernal. We have 
other varieties that look very promising, viz: Repta Kretshoe, Char- 
lamof, Boravinka, Anisim, Red Repka (200), Aromatinoe (354) and 
Good Peasant. 
Of other varieties that look promising, I will mention Patton’s 
Greening and Peerless. These all look as well as trees can in any 
climate, though a very severe winter may change their appearance 
somewhat. 
Though the past has been an extremely dry season, our young 
trees have made a good growth.,. Some varieties have suffered 
somewhat from blight, Lake Winter crab the worst. 
OWATONNA STATION. 
E. H. S. DARTT, SUPT. 
In experimenting with fruit trees with a view of developing hardi- 
ness, it is impossible to make rapid progress without the frequent 
recurrence of very severe winters. It has been ten years now since 
we had a test winter. As a consequence, nearly all apple trees not 
predisposed to blight and some that are, are doing well, confidence 
is being restored, new varieties are being boomed, many of which 
will eventually be of little value. There seems to bea rising tide 
and though there is an undertow of past experiences that tends to 
sadness, yet the swell moves on and will continue to move on till it 
strikes another iceberg, when it will recede. It is to fortify against 
and stop, if possible, this receding wave that we labor. 
Asa result of this succession of mild winters, our apple list has 
increased until, including the synonyms and accessions of the 
present winter, it now contains 800 varieties of grafted trees, besides 
a large number of ungrafted seedlings from our best Minnesota 
apples andcrabs. The best of these will be grafted as fast as they 
develop desirable qualities. Nearly every noted grower in Wiscon- 
sin and Minnesota and some in Iowa are here represented by some 
of their hardiest stock. Some varieties have come from unknown 
sources. Magog, Memphremagog and Hamangog are evidently 
from Vermont. 
About 230 of these varieties have been placed in the orchard,which 
now contains 800 trees, and the condition of each tree as to vigor 
and blight is marked up each fall. And later on, as trees come into 
bearing, productiveness, size and quality of fruit will be noted. The 
plan has been adopted of thinning out the trees on all nursery 
ground, leaving as many as can stand without crowding, giving 
preference to one or more trees of each variety. In this way a large 
number can be tried without the trouble of transplanting. As many 
of these trees are approaching bearing size, marking in future will 
likely extend to this class. After our next hard winter, the study of 
this list must become very interesting and profitable to the planter, 
as it will show the behavior of different varieties for a series of years. 
