PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 213 



December 22, 1863. 

 Mr. Nathan C. Ely in the chair. 



How AND When to Plant Apple Seeds aNd Grow Nursery 



Trees. 



Mr. S. T. Hill, Doria, Dixon county, N. T., asks what is the best method 

 of planting apple seeds, and what is the best time in the season ? The 

 above question may have been before your Club as much as necessai'y for 

 the public good. Indications are that this country is well adapted to all 

 kinds of hardy fruit trees. I desire to make a trial with apples. There 

 are a great many persons in the same category, and therefore others who 

 already know must bear with repetition of questions and answers. 



Mr. Wm. R. Prince answered this question in substance, that the best 

 way was to put the apple seeds in sand as soon as they were worked out 

 of the pumice^ and put the box in a cool, dry cellar to remain till March in 

 this vicinity. Then prepare a rich loamy soil, very mellow, and manure it 

 well with fine, perfectly rotted stable manure, to give the trees an early 

 start and make them grow vigorously the first year, as that is of the 

 greatest importance. Plant the rows 2| feet apart, for horse culture, or 

 wide enough to hoe between, for hand culture. 



John G. Bergen. — I have found that all sorts of seeds, apple, pear, peach, 

 plum, cherry — do well if planted while still fresh and moist from the fruit, 

 and all single seeds, like peach, do the best if planted in the pulp as they 

 grow. 



J. S. Pounce, jr.. High Forest, Olmstead county, Minnesota, inquires : 



" 1. Would cleared oak land, pretty high, somewhat rolling, and not 

 much brush, on the bank of a small river, and well sheltered by timber, be 

 suitable for a nursery ? 



"2. Would the decaying roots of trees be injurious to anything in the 

 tree line. I think they lie too deep to affect nursery trees, but when they 

 grow larger, I am in doubt? 



" 3. Would an application of lime or salt, or both, counteract the fungoid 

 influence of said roots ?" 



Mr. Prince said he should consider the location described a very favor- 

 able one in all respects. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter said that the gentleman might judge from his 

 experience whether the roots would bo deleterious Ten years ago he cut 

 off a piece of woodland, principally oak, and after cultivating it three 

 years, to subdue it, planted an orchard extending from the new ground 

 over a piece long cultivated. Now, the trees on the new part are nearly 

 double the size of those on the other part, and the fruit is larger and better. 



Prof Mapcs said that an application of lime would be beneficial, whether 

 or not necessary to afi'ect the fungoid influence of the decaying roots. 



Wild Plums of Minnesota. 



The writer of the above inquiry says : " The wild fruits of Minnesota 

 are fine, and there are several varieties — yellow, red and purple — different 

 sizes; some sour and uneatable, while others are sweet and good. Some 

 kinds ripen four to five weeks later than others. The latest I have found 



