242 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
rate of about 200 pounds per acre, the result was very marked. The 
land receiving it yielded at least three times the crop produced on 
land receiving stable manure. The illustration herewith brings 
out this difference quite plainly. 
Potato machinery is being madea special study this year. Six 
horse potato planters and two hand planters have been tried here 
this year, also three potato cutters, and we have several potato dig- 
gers and sorters now on hand for trial this autumn, and more are 
to be obtained before the crop is gathered. 
FORESTRY EXPERIMENTS.—Experiments in forestry are ever sub- 
jects of interest to our people. The forestry plantation at this time 
is of much interest. Some serious losses of trees were sustained 
last summer, but these have been replaced by hardier kinds. The 
different kinds of native oaks are receiving considerable attention 
and are doing well. 
In addition to the plantation here of about five acres, over four 
acres have been planted in different kinds of trees at our new ex- 
periment station in Lyons county. This plantationis divided into 
plats for the purpose of trying the value of different hardy trees in 
furnishing protection to those more tender. The work has been 
very successfully inaugurated. 
ALBERT LEA STATION. 
CLARENCE WEDGE, SUPT. 
Although there has been nothing in the past eight years that has 
given our trees anything like an adequate test of hardiness, as the 
term is usually understood, there may be something of value ina 
detailed report of the behaviour of the varieties that we have fruited 
within the past few years. The soil at this stationis a clay loam, 
with a retentive yellow clay subsoil, and the site of the orchard is 
becoming yearly more sheltered. The indications given and opin- 
ions expressed in this report must not be taken as at all conclusive, 
and will have little value except as taken in connection with like re- 
ports from other observers. 
The trees have nearly all been kept in cultivation with growing 
crops or nursery stock between therows. We mention the behaviour 
of several varieties that are pretty well out of the experimental stage 
in Minnesota in order that some intelligent comparison may be made 
with the newer sorts. 
THE OLDENBURG.—This variety is perfectly at home in this loca- 
tion, and in this vicinity many trees about thirty years old may be 
found that are in perfect health. It seldom bears more than speci- 
men apples before the ninth year. Our oldest tree, set twenty years, 
has acquired the usual bad habit of the variety of overloading with 
fruit in alternate years. Three years ago wetried to break up this 
habit by picking off nearly half the fruit when the size of hickory 
nuts, but without effect, as the tree did not bear a solitary apple the 
following year. A year ago when it was again overloaded with fruit, 
we made a more determined effort and shook off fully three-fourths 
of the apples when fairly formed. This severe thinning made but 
