34 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
MINNESOTA NURSERY METHODS. 
Following is an extract of a paper read at the recent 
meeting of the Minnesota Horticultural Society by M. 
Pearce, Chowen, Minn : “Over forty years’experience 
in growing fruit trees and plants in Minnesota, convinces 
us beyond all doubt that apples and crabs of good quality 
can be grown in Minnesota in great abundance. In mak¬ 
ing the above statement it must not be understood to 
imply that all will make a success of growing apples; 
such is not the case in any country. Well qualified, long 
experience, or advice from those who are able to impart 
it are the best guarantees to success. Add to these 
energy and close observation, and you will succeed. 
“ For a number of years we have been deeply interested 
in the results of numerous experiments we have con¬ 
ducted with roots of all kinds on which the apple and 
crab are worked, also grafting special kinds of apples and 
hybrids on special roots and then double working them 
with other varieties. In all of our experiments, we have 
had special objects in view, such as preventing the blight, 
making the trees more hardy to withstand drought and 
cold, a larger and better class of roots than are usually 
found on fruit trees. In some of these experiments, our 
success has gone far beyond our expectations ; in others 
it is too soon to state what the result m.ay be. 
“ Our nursery has been conducted for some years as 
follows—and we have no desire to return to old methods: 
The ground on which we intend to set grafts in the spring 
is plowed in fall. The plow is followed with a sub-soiler, 
the ground is then harrowed level. If any part lacks fer¬ 
tility, we give it a light dressing of well-rotted manure. 
The following spring we go over it with cultivator and 
harrow until it is in perfect condition. The grafts are set 
to a line not less than a foot apart in the row. Rows 
four feet apart. Our scions are all cut late in the fall, 
packed in moist sawdust and placed in a cool cellar. Roots 
on which we intend to graft are packed away in the same 
manner. Our grafting is usually done in March at which 
time we also do our top working in the orchard. In 
putting up apple grafts we are very particular to get them 
on pure apple roots. We use but one cut of the apple 
root, which is about five inches long from the crown 
down, the balance of the root being thrown away. 
Wealthy, Charlemoff, and some other varieties are double 
worked on Tonka, Beech’s Sweet and Virginia Crab. We 
first work those on the roots and then the Wealthy and 
other varieties. It can be done very successfully. We 
did not lose more than one per cent. The grafts are 
packed in moist sawdust and placed in a room where the 
temperature is about fifty degrees. We put them out 
when the buds on the fruit trees just begin to swell. By 
this time, the roots are all calloused and the splices grown 
together. We aim to keep the ground on which we set 
the grafts free from weeds. The grafts are not disturbed 
until they have made a growth of a few inches and are 
well rooted. We then commence cultivating with a light 
harrow or cultivator and the hoe or scraper is also brought 
into use. The cultivation of all our nursery trees is very 
thorough until the first of August, when we discontinue 
all work in the nursery till the first of September; then 
we resume cultivation for a short time. No weeds or 
grass are allowed to grow and the ground is clean when 
the trees go into winter quarters. We use no protection 
about the roots of the trees whatever. We have not lost 
a single tree for years from root killing. It is the least 
of our fears either in the nursery or in the orchard. We 
never trim the first year the grafts are set out, except to 
destroy all seedlings that may start with the grafts. The 
trimming is done the second year after the grafts are set 
out. We trim three times, the first in May, the second 
in June, the third in July. At the first trimming we 
remove only one-third of what is to be taken off. At the 
next trimming we remove another third, and finish the 
trimming complete the third time. We never strip or 
remove the leaves from the stems of the trees. 
Q. Why are you so particular to use apple roots on 
which to graft the apple ? A. I find the pure apple root 
to be perfectly hardy and it will not kill unless the trees 
are set in soil naturally wet in which event they will win¬ 
ter kill. 
Q. Why do you use only the first cut of the root ? 
A. Because it contains the principal portion of the starch 
in the root, produces heavy roots and a good growth of 
wood. 
O. Why do you trim three times in place of one? A. 
It does not check the growth of the trees, renders them 
more stocky, and creates a better root system. 
CHAUTAUQUA GRAPE BELT. 
S. S. Crissey writes in The Grape Belt: “Sometime 
ago we made an approximate estimate of the entire land 
available for grape planting in northern Chautauqua and 
made the total in seven towns touching Lake Erie as 
50,000 acres. Since then the frost limit of safe vine 
planting has been pushed further up towards the summit, 
and we shall have to increase our estimate to 75,000 acres. 
This estimate is made by figuring the square miles per 
township, the product of this by the numiber of acres per 
square mile, and deducting the amount necessary for 
creeks, highways, buildings, gardens and orchards already 
set. If we are correct in the amount, one third is already 
occupied. We refer to this because however widely 
extended may be the markets and their future develop¬ 
ment, the annual export yield of the Chautauqua grape 
belt will probably never treble that which it already has. 
Another point is that grapes are only one of the many 
fruits that are annually consumed in the American markets. 
Many of those fruits we can successfully grow here. 
While our natural adaptation may be pre-eminent for the 
grape, the question arises as to how far it is best to take 
up available territory.” 
J. H. Hale, of South Glastonb ury, has been elected 
preside-nt of the Connecticut Pomological Society. 
