152 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
MINNESOTA. 
An Elaborate Programme of the 
State Society—Wasted Land- 
Future of Seedling Apples. 
The thirtieth annual meeting of the Minnesota State Horti¬ 
cultural Society was held at Minneapolis, December 1 — 3. 
The president of the society is J. M. Underwood, president of 
the Jewell Nursery Co., Lake City, Minn. Among other 
prominent nurserymen and horticulturists in attendance were : 
Alderman Wyman Elliot, Minneapolis ; George J. Kellogg, 
Janesville, Wis., Professor N. E. Hansen, Brookings, South 
Dakota; J. P. Andrews, Faribault, Minn.; J. S. Harris, La 
Crescent ; Clarence Wedge, Albert Lea, Professor S. B. Green, 
St. Anthony Park ; S. D. Richardson, Winnebago City ; E. 
H. S. Dartt, Owatonna ; J. Cole Doughty, Lake City. 
In his annual address President Underwood called atten ion 
to the useless waste of lands in all the farming communities on 
account of the wide roadways, and pointed out that in a county 
the size of Wabasha, with 18 townships, there are 8,000 acres 
of roadway worse than wasted because they are a prolific 
ground for the growing of weeds. This land is worth at least 
$24,000, and on the same score the land wasted in a state the 
size of Minnesota would be worth $78,109,560. 
The annual report of the secretary, A. W. Latham, of Min¬ 
neapolis, was filled with interesting facts showing the steady 
growth of the society from very small beginnings. The mem¬ 
bership roll has increased from a very few 24 years ago to 512 
to-day. One of the main features of the society each year has 
been its list of fruits which could be recommended to be 
grown in Minnesota. The annual displays at the state fair 
have been increasing in quantity and excellence every year, 
and with the aid of the farmer’s institutes a great work is being 
accomplished. 
Under the title of “Medicine for the Tree Sharks,” J. P. 
Andrews, of Faribault, taking it for granted that there are dis¬ 
honest tree agents, scored them and suggested that one of the 
best remedies was to have the newspapers advertise them as 
soon as they are reported to the secretary of the society. The 
paper was warmly criticised and supported by various speak¬ 
ers. It was pointed out that the American people like to be 
humbugged, and there was no effectual method of teaching a 
man whom to trust in the tree business. 
SEEDLING APPLES. 
“ Minnesota Seedling Apples, What They Are and Their 
Value,” was the subject on which J. S. Harris, of La Crescent 
spoke. Mr. Harris, who is known as an authority on seed¬ 
lings, and who has probably done more experimenting than 
any other man in the state, said he believed that in a decade 
more than half of the apples raised in the state and in the 
Northwest would be from seedling varieties originated in Min¬ 
nesota, and that while such kinds as the Duchess would be 
retained, it would be more through regard for its past and its 
relations to the native variety than from the fact of its superi¬ 
ority over the others. 
Professor Hanson referred to experiments with American 
and Russian apples at the Brookings station. Professor J. L. 
Budd of the experiment station at Ames, Iowa, who is now in 
Arizona, contributed a paper on “ The Present Status of the 
Hardier Russians.” 
Professor Green made a verbal report of the experiments 
carried on at the Central station of the University school. He 
spoke of the excellent reputation of the school, and stated that 
it was the standard by which other schools in the United 
States were compared. It was undoubtedly the best in the 
country. He said that over 1,700 people in delegations had 
visited the school the past year, coming from all parts of the 
country. Several delegations of fully 100 had come from 
North and South Dakota. 
M. Pearce, of Chowen, gave a practical demonstration of the 
natural laws of growth, with reference to the roots. He had 
a small tree which he exhibited to carry out his theory. He 
claimed that there were three kinds of roots, those near the 
top of the ground which supplied the tree with food, those at 
the bottom which are to supply moisture, and the fruiting 
roots or those which gathered the life and essentials for the 
production of the fruit on the tree. These are between the 
first two. Mr. Pearce tcld how the peach could be raised with 
profit in Minnesota. He raises peaches by using plum stock 
and top grafting. 
THE FORESTRY PROBLEM. 
J. O. Barrett, secretary of the State Forestry Association, 
discussed “ Forestry and the Water Problem.” He showed 
that while the annual precipitation for Minnesota has not 
greatly lessened during a period of several years back, the 
lakes are fast dr\ing up, and the rivers are running low. The 
water supply is being threatened. His proposed remedy 
is a systematic planting of trees to counteract the greater 
demand for moisture which results from the cultivation of the 
soil. At least one-third of the remaining natural trees in the 
northern part of the state should be preserved, he said, and for 
every acre of new land broken, one-half an acre of trees should 
be set out. 
A paper on “ Deciduous Trees,” by F. H. Nutting, engineer 
of the park board, Minneapolis, gave a complete list of the 
deciduous trees more adapted for growing in a Minnesota 
climate. 
“Practical Thoughts on Growing Shade Trees,” by Wyman 
Elliot, of Minneapolis, advocated the use of nursery grown 
trees in preference to forest trees, even though the forest tree 
might be as fine and symmetrical. In growing a shade tree 
from the seed great care must be taken from the start, the 
maxim being a true one, that “as the twig is bent, so the tree 
is inclined.” 
J. Cole Doughty told in a humorous way how to run a 
nursery. 
There were many valuable papers on the elaborate pro¬ 
gramme which attested the activity of one of the leading state 
horticultural societies of the country. 
The National Irrigation Congress at Phoenix, Arizona, was 
attended by 1,000 persons representing 27 states. These 
officers were elected : President, G. B. Booth, California; 
vice-president, Governor F. H Briggs, North Dakota ; secre¬ 
taries, James McClintock, Arizona; A. T. Kellogg, Colorado ; 
L. S. Howlett, Washington. 
