234 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



1871 



Fruit Notes from Minnesota. 



The Farmers' Union makes mention of the first 

 load of Minnesota grown apples ever offered for 

 sale in the Minneapolis market, and we are pleased 

 to see that our highly esteemed and intelligent cor- 

 respondent, Peter M. Gideon, of Excelsior, Hen- 

 nepin county, was tlie man who raised " them are " 

 apples. This is an event in the history of Henne- 

 pin county that should be written in letters of gold. 



The Union in commenting upon the event, says : 

 " In itself this may not be considered a very great 

 matter, particularly by those residing in other 

 States; but we consider that it is fraught with great 

 moment to the future destinies of the pomological 

 world of this section of Minnesota. In short, we 

 consider it one of the most important items that we 

 have given to the public for a long time. It is a 

 beginning, in spite of wind and weather. It is a 

 beginning in a great and important branch of home 

 industry which we have hoped for since 1849." 



The Union further says : " We have the most per- 

 fect and beautiful specimens of apples in our office, 

 gathered by Wyman Elliott in various parts of this 

 county. They are destined to the American Pomo- 

 logical Society, to be held at Riclimond, Virginia, 

 the seventh of September." 



From other sections of Minnesota we have flat- 

 tering reports of success. The Wabashaw Herald 

 reports a load of apples brought into that market 

 from an orchard near by. 



Fruit in New England.— W. H. W., Ct., writes 

 us concerning the fruit crop of the N. E. States, Au- 

 gust tenth : " There was a considerable blowth on 

 our apple trees in the Spring, but the drouth, cold, 

 etc., blasted the prospect of our crop so that there 

 will be very few apples in Connecticut ; and so fiir 

 as I can inform myself, the same is general throu,;;h- 

 out the New England States. Only a very few 

 pears will be had, from similar causes. Grapes are 

 abundant, the vines being loaded generally, with a 

 good prospect of their ripening up in season: Vines 

 and fruit healthy. Strawberries were somewhat 

 less than usual, but a fair crop. The drouth in the 

 early part of the season, extending into June, added 

 to that of last year, is scarcely paralleled through- 

 out New England, so that the hay crop is very much 

 below the average ; yet most other crops will come 

 in full an average, and some above. The rains of 

 late June and through July have greatly changed 

 the prospects earlier in the season. 



The Nevada Fruit Crop. The Grass Valley 

 Union thinks that there is fruit enough in that 

 township to supply half the State of California, and 

 wonders what is going to be done with it all. The 

 home market amounts to but little, and transporta- 

 tion is so high that foreign markets can be reached. 



When to sow Clover. This question was ask- 

 ed us a few days ago by the owner of an orchard we 

 were visiting. We could not advise as to summer 

 or fall seeding. But a correspondent of the Wed- 

 ern Fimner writes as though he knew something 

 about it. For some sixteen years he has sown in 

 summer, fall, spring, and on the snow in winter, 

 and has occasionally failed in all seasons, except 

 when sown in August. His mode is to sow in the 

 montli of August, and put no crop with the seed, 

 except it is for protection — when sown after raising 

 a crop of oats, enough will come up from the stub- 

 ble for protection. Corn is a sure crop for clover 

 to catch with, if sown between the rows ; even then 

 I should sow oats with the seed. 



Eldorado Fruit. The Placerville EejniUican 

 says large quantities of fruit are being transported 

 to Nevada by the Placerville route, conveyed in 

 four or six - horse Concord thorough - brace wag- 

 ons. About nine days are required to make the 

 trip. The farmer or fruit raiser disposes of his 

 load on the road or at Virginia City, at fiom four 

 to ten cents per pound, generally having a variety, 

 such as apples, pears, peaches, plums and grapes. 

 Each load, after paying expenses, leaves him quite 

 a margin for profit. On this route upwards of 

 forty teams were engaged three months last year in 

 transporting fruit raised in this vicinity. In all, 

 more than 750 tons were delivered, for which about 

 $130 per ton were realized. 



. « ♦ « 



The Tomato Perennial. The Ventura Signal 

 says that the tomato in Southern California is a 

 perennial plant, which blooms and bears fruit du- 

 ring the entire year, when properly cared for 

 near the seashore, where there are no frosts, the 

 editor has seen them of five years' growth, looking 

 as fresh and vigorous as at any time of their exist- 

 ence. He adds : " There are many classes of the 

 vegetable kind perennial here that are elsewhere 

 annual. Among others we have observed the 

 ' deadly nightshade,' which becomes quite a shrub, 

 and of such luxuriant growth in many places as to 

 form beautiful and secure hedges." 



It Can't "Be Did." The Gardener's Monthly in 

 anticipation of a visit from the Colorado Potato 

 Bug, recommends crushing them by rolling. Now, 

 Mr. Gardener, you miglit just as well undertake to 

 crush a flea in that way. The best known extermi- 

 nator of this bug is Paris green and air slacked 

 lime. An application of these ingredients cleaned 

 out the buggiest acre of potatoes for us last season 

 (we venture to say) ever seen. Their extermina- 

 tion appeared so complete after the application, 

 that we had potatoes planted upon the same ground 

 this season, and narj' bug has shown himself yet — 

 August 20th. 



