REPORTS OF DISTRICT DIRECTORS. 63 



Gooseberries — I have Houghton and Downing. The Downing is 

 my choice. 



Cherries — Early Richmond has done the best for me. 



T. C. Honnold. 



Mr. Honnold took first premium for best display of fruit at Valley 

 County Fair in 1889. W. F. Jenkins, Director. 



DISCUSSION. 



Prof. Hicks — I would like to know Iioav much of the northwest 

 is included in the northwest district. Is it the whole northwest ? 



Jenkins — My report will apply to Custer, Sherman, Valley, and 

 Loup counties, and these take in about all of the northwest in which 

 any fruit is raised. 



H. J. Webber — Prof. Bessey regrets that he cannot be here with 

 us to-day to discuss the plants and trees in the northwest, but as sick- 

 ness prevents him, and as I spent six weeks in that region last summer, 

 I shall endeavor to talk a short time on the same subject. We have 

 there more varieties of trees and plants than here. Wild plums, 

 grapes, raspberries, and strawberries are common in all parts of the 

 northwest ; the wild grape growing far better than those in the south- 

 east. From a botanical standpoint the northwest will be an excellent 

 country for small fruit growing, as the wild fruits do so well. I saw 

 four varieties of wild currants, two of gooseberries, and in the extreme 

 northwest Juneberries, all of which were well loaded with fruit of 

 good quality. The wild sand cherry there is better than those in 

 central Nebraska. In regard to seasons, all vegetation is earlier in 

 Dawes and Sioux counties than in the central portion of this state. 

 This, I presume, is on account of the " Chinook " winds, which reach 

 the extreme northwest, but do not come to central Nebraska. 



Dunlap— I have tried cultivating the sand cherry ; planted some 

 pits, and succeeded in growing some very fine trees, which, when large 

 enough, bore very handsome fruit. We congratulated ourselves that 

 we had an acquisition in the cherry line, but when we tried to eat 

 them, one or two cherries were all we wanted. They were the bit- 

 terest things I ever tried to eat. 



Webber — How high were those trees you mention? 



Dunlap — Three or four feet. 



Webber — Maybe they were choke cherries. You are correct re- 



