Stearns County, Minnesota - Chapter 40: Horticulture, 1915

Chapter 40: Horticulture

Work of the Pomologists - The Collegeville Station - Early Efforts and Later Successes - Personal Experiences - Directions for Planting- and Care - By Rev. John B. Katzner, 0. S. B. - The Belgrade Station - Muck Lrigation - By C. R. Sandvig - The Paynesville Station - By Frank Brown.

The raising of fruit in Stearns county has been a matter of slow and gradual development. The earlier experiments in the southern part of the state had demonstrated that apples could be grown in Minnesota, although in the beginning nothing was ventured on but the crab varieties. With the success of these fully established intelligent and progressive pomologists experimented further, and nothing daunted continued until now not only in the more southern localities but in Stearns county a number of varieties of apples, large in size, fine in flavor, abundant in yield and with average keeping qualities, are successfully grown. Many farmers grow not only a sufficient supply for their own use but an excess for the market. The aggregate yield now reaches into the thousands of bushels. It is undoubtedly true that with further experimentation as to varieties and a wider knowledge as to proper planting and cultivation this yield will be increased many fold and the list of varieties receive many choice additions. What has been accomplished thus far may be accepted as an assurance of what may be expected in the future.

While the cultivation of plums has been less successful here, yet this is also doubtless only a matter of time. At the state fair there have been shown plums which in size, appearance and flavor it would be difficult to excel anywhere. In the coming years it may be anticipated with confidence that this fruit will be found flourishing in many orchards.

There are several trial stations of the Minnesota Horticultural Society in Stearns county, the most important of which is at St. John's University, CoUegeville, in charge of the Rev. J. B. Katzner, 0, S. B., whose work in the horticultural department has given him a state-wide reputation. Two other trial stations in the county are at Belgrade and Paynesville, in charge of C. R. Sandvig and Frank Brown, respectively. Contributions follow from these three gentlemen, giving full, clear and intelligent presentations of the methods used and the results obtained in the planting and cultivation of apple, plum and other fruit trees which cannot but be of much value to all who read them and profit by the information given.

The Collegeville Station

For want of data and literature, it is not claimed to give a complete history of horticulture in Stearns county. For the greater part of this work I have to rely on my own memory, experiments and experiences. The information, however, thus obtained from my own practical work, may be, I think, well applicable for the entire county. The historical records of horticulture of Stearns county are very few and meager. Yet, looking over the fortyseven years of my residence in this county, quite a number of historical facts arise before my vision, which it may be well to record.

"When the early pioneers settled in the southern counties of our state, they brought along with them many varieties of fruits from their old homes. Some of them procured a liberal supply of nursery stock from New York and other eastern states, wherever they could get trees, just to get a start in fruit-culture. Many orchards were planted and nurseries started by these energetic men, but the results were nothing but failures. Thousands of trees had their lives crushed out by the severity of our climate. It could not be otherwise. The country was new, the wild lands unsubdued, the climate uncongenial to these fruit trees and the varieties not at all adapted. To this must be added, that the cultural methods of the east were unsuited for the healthy development of fruit trees in the Northwest. New methods of culture had to be developed by our southern pioneers. Much time and energy were lost, and accordingly many years passed by before any permanent results were achieved in horticulture in the state. Western horticulture was given a new impetus by the United States Department of Agriculture with the introduction of Russian varieties of apples and other fruits to our country. It was confidently hoped that some varieties might be found among the many thus introduced that could be successfully grown in the Northwestern States. In the meantime, a dozen of our horticultural pioneers banded together and started our now great Minnesota State Horticultural

Society in 1866 for their mutual assistance and exchange of ideas and experiences. They went to work with great enthusiasm to try these Russian importations. Although their high expectations were not realized, they found at least some varieties that were considered hardy enough for our northern country. These trees were propagated as rapidly as possible, but it took some years before a sufficient supply was on hand for the trade of the more northern counties. At this time, too, a few varieties of hardy crabapples had been originated which could safely be planted. The varieties of apples were the Duchess, Tetofsky, and, I think, the Transparent; and of crabs, the Transcendent and Hyslop. Now we had at least a few apples that could be tried, but we had no plums, as all eastern and European varieties failed entirely. What was to be done? Our own native varieties came to the rescue. The woods of Iowa, "Wisconsin and Minnesota were searched for the best native kinds and brought under cultivation. The work was successful, and many varieties were now propagated for the trade. As for grapes and other small fruits, they were still obtained from the east.

When our family immigrated to Stearns County in 1867, I, at that time but a lad, looked about in vain for fruit trees and on inquiry was told that "we cannot grow apples in Minnesota." What a disappointment! It was in 1868 that the first agent, to my knowledge, from a southern Minnesota nursery was soliciting orders for nursery stock in Stearns county. He came to St. Joseph and I remember well, that Mr. Linneman, my father and others, bought some Transcendent crabs and cherry trees. The trees came in due time, were planted by my father and myself and in a few years we had crab apples and just four or five cherries. The cherries died, but the crabs were bearing quite well for a number of years. The same year I made my first experiment; for after the above mentioned cherry trees had been planted, I took the prunings, went out to the woods and stem-grafted some of the wild cherry trees. I cut off the tops five feet above ground, cut the scion wedgeshaped, set it in the split of the cherry stem and put some shoemaker's wax from my father 's bench over the cut parts. These grafts grew most vigorously and by August had grown a perfect top. I was highly pleased. Just at this time a severe storm came up from the southwest and blew off all the tops of my cherry trees and I, needless to say, felt much grieved. From this fact it looks very probable that I may be entitled to the honor of having done the first grafting of fruit trees in Stearns county.

From 1868 on, a little more attention was paid to fruit growing. Farmers and townspeople, seeing the possibility of at least being able to raise crab apples, freely bought from the agents who now came annually to solicit orders for stock, and the more so, when in 1869 or 1870 trees bearing large apples were offered for sale. Nurserymen from the southern counties did quite a flourishing business in Stearns and other central counties at that time. The varieties that were generally to be had were the Tetofsky, Duchess and, I think, the Transparent apples, and of crabs, the Transcendent and Hyslop. But horticulture in Stearns county, as elsewhere, had its drawbacks, the first venture of growing apples was on the whole not quite successful. For, although the crabs and apples bore well for a few years, blight and other dis- eases now appeared all over the county and ruined many good trees. This was so much the worse, as the owners did not know what to do to save their trees. It was but natural that quite a number of farmers became discouraged and would not buy and plant any more fruit trees. Yet there were always some people in the county who kept right on trying against all odds. This setback lasted for a long time and not much progress was made in fruitraising in Stearns county for the first ten years. This may be seen from a report written by J. I. Salter of St. Cloud on June 21, 1875, to C. Y. Lacy, secretary of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. After speaking about the injury done to trees from the cold winter, he gives the following fruit list for Stearns county : Apples, Duchess ; crabs. Transcendent and Hyslop ; raspberries, Philadelphia, Brinckle 's Orange and Doolittle ; blackberries, Kittatinny and Wilson; strawberries, Wilson's Albany, Jucunda, Charles Downing and Hovey's Seedling. With the exception of the apple and crabs, all fruits mentioned by Mr. Salter are now no longer grown. He does not mention any currants and grapes, although I am quite sure they were grown at least to some extent in the county.

At this time I was still pursuing my studies at St. John's College and had all the opportunities to observe what different varieties of fruits were grown at this institution in 1875. I remember well the Tetofsky, Duchess and Transparent apples, and also the Transcendent and Hyslop crabs. One year the Transcendent bore so well that 100 bushels of them were picked. I remember, too, that there were about 50 grapevines in the garden and the trouble the gardener had to get them all. They were the Concord and another variety. There were also two rows of the Red Dutch currants bearing lots of fruit and a few plum trees. No strawberries were planted here, but I have seen a bed of this fruit at Mr. Bernik's place in St. Joseph. At my sister's place at Albany I noticed several varieties of crabs and sampled the Transparent apple. I was even present at a horticultural lawsuit in St. Cloud. Sev-

^ rival. Some farmers waited aboiit a week until they found it convenient to go to town for their trees. Meanwhile the trees were lying out on the plat-

The progress of horticulture in Stearns county from 1875 to 1893 was slowly but steadily advancing. One of the main drawbacks was the many unscrupulous agents who palmed oft' their worthless stock on the unsuspecting farmers. These agents, who never saw the inside of a nursery and knew nothing about fruit trees, utilized their chances for making money. They bought their trees from eastern nurseries in quantities and paid perhaps ten cents a tree, but often sold them to the farmers for one dollar apiece. It would not have been so bad had the trees grown and borne fruit, but being of varieties not at all adapted to our conditions, they lingered for two or three years and then died. I know of one man who bought a number of trees every spring for three years and I know, too, that not one tree lived to bear an apple. The people were simply cheated and humbugged by these sharps, called agents. While some still kept on planting apple trees, many determined not to throw any more money away uselessly on nursery stock. Another reason why we did not advance as fast as was desirable was due to the fact that our southern nurseries, on whom we were dependent for stock, made but little progress. It takes years to originate and test fruits adapted to our state. "With the arrival, however, of our famous Wealthy and some very good crabs as the "Whitney, real and lasting progress was being made in horticulture. These apples were propagated as fast as possible and planted in almost every county of the state. A few years later I found these apples in many places in the county doing well and bearing excellent fruit. The farmers would point with pride to their fine, healthy trees with bent-down branches full of luscious apples. These two varieties have done much in removing the old indifference and in making horticulture more popular in our county. However, they were not the only varieties which were sent out during this period; many more were originated and introduced by our experimenters, but none of them ever enjoyed the popularity of our Wealthy. This apple was originated by Peter Gideon at Lake Minnetonka and is now grown east and west, from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. It has become a favorite with every fruit grower, and famous for its excellent qualities and has merited the distinction of being called the "Jonathan of the North."

But man is never satisfied, nor is the horticulturist. Having been successful to some extent, he tried his hand in new experiments and for that a good opportunity was offered to him in testing new fruits. The United States Department of Agriculture thought it well to try some more Russian varieties of fruits for our middle west. So in 1882 Prof. Budd of Ames, Iowa, made a trip of exploration into the interior of Russia, where the climate is more severe than in Minnesota. He imported many varieties of apples, pears, plums and cherries, which were all tested in the North Central States. Nurserymen and many members of our Horticultural Society were now in their full glory, trying and testing these importations to find some new varieties of fruits for the state, and although their expectations were not realized fully, yet quite a number of apples were found hardy enough for Minnesota, though in other respects they were not just what was wanted. The pears, plums, cherries and many apples did not find the climate of Minnesota congenial for their successful growth. The fruit list for Minnesota was now largely increased and in a few years these new varieties found their way into Stearns county and were successfully grown in many towns.

To show what was and could be grown in Stearns county at the close of the year 1893, I only need to mention some of the varieties which were recommended for planting in the southern half of the state by the Minnesota Horticultural Society. Of apples we had the Wealthy, Duchess, Hibernal, Tetofsky, Longfield, Christmas, Borovinka, Okabena, Peerless and Patten's Greening. Of crabs and hybrids were mentioned : Virginia, Martha, Early Strawberry, Whitney, Beecher's Sweet and Arlington. Of plums: Desota, Rollingstone, Forest Garden, Wolf, Weaver Ocheeda and Cheney. A similar large number of varieties of the smaller fruits were given, but I do not think it necessary for my purpose to mention them here. It is true, some of the above sorts were only considered hardy enough for the more southern coun-

The greatest progress in horticulture was made by Stearns county from 1893 till 1914. Many causes may be advanced for its long strides achieved in fruit culture. One of the main reasons was the educational work of the Minnesota Horticultural Society carried on throughout the state. Before 1893 it scarcely had more than 300 members any given year, but from now on it made a most wonderful progress in its membership and in 1914 more than 3,000 active horticulturists of the state belonged to this society. It is now the largest horticultural society in the United States. From the very beginning its members worked hard to test all the different varieties of fruits, foreign and native, for the purpose of finding out suitable sorts that could be safely planted in Minnesota. They sowed seeds from fruit trees annually to originate new hardy sorts and encouraged everyone else to do the same, so that we might originate our own pomology which we could not possibly get -from other states. Their work was crowned with wonderful success, not only in introducing many sorts from foreign lands but also in originating new varieties adapted to our county and state. I need only mention such native seedlings now grown in Stearns county as the Wealthy, Okabena, Peerless, Patten's Greening and many other sorts not so well known.

The people of Stearns county, and for that matter of the state, were on account of past failures in fruit-growing to a great extent still in a mood of indifference. It now became necessary to educate the public in this art, to eliminate failures in the future as much as possible, to show the people in a practical way the possibility of more extensive fruit-growing in the state and to arouse a general interest for renewed efforts. There were many persuasive means, foremost being our State Fair. To most people who go there it is a revelation in horticulture, an exhibition of horticultural success never expected to be seen in Minnesota. Many times the visitors from all over the state could be noticed glancing over the long tables in admiration and saying, ''Is it possible that these fine apples have all been grown in Minnesota?" Usually they go home with the mental resolve to try again. Next in importance come the county fairs. They, too, are educating the masses and create new interest in horticulture. The fruit exhibit at the street fair in St. Cloud some years ago and now annually at the county fair at Sauk Centre is certainly of great educational importance to our farming community. For the many years of its existence the Minnesota Horticultural Society has spread the gospel of horticulture in the state by its many publications, its reliable information on horticultural topics and its annual meetings. I am proud to say that Stearns county has no small contingent among this teaching body of real horticulturists. The influence of this society is now well recognized when one visits the many towns and farms and notices the many fruit trees or orchards bearing an abundance of luscious fruit. Finally, there is another factor that works well for the advancement of horticulture in our county: I mean the Lecture corps which visits "the principal towns and cities in our county. To this belong practical men who not only lecture on agricultural topics but also make it a point to instruct our farmers how to grow fruits successfully.

All these means unite in producing the one desired effect - to educate our people in the art of successful fruit-growing in our county and I may say that this has been wonderfully accomplished. Our people have now not only a reliable fruit list, but know how to grow these fruits to perfection. It is comparatively but a few years ago that there was not an apple grown in Stearns county, it was not even thought possible, and now hundreds and thousands of bushels of apples are grown almost annually. Take the year 1913 when many farmers sold from $50 to $200 worth of apples. And at St. John's University? Well, it was the banner year in horticulture, for we picked more than 800 bushels of this fruit. These are certainly most gratifying results and augur well for the future progress of horticulture in Stearns County.

I shall now give the list of fruits which was adopted by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society Dec. 3, 1914, for the guidance of planters. The people of Stearns county would do well to make their selection of fruits from this list and plant no others.

Apples. Of the first degree of hardiness: Duchess, Hibernal, Patten's Greening, Okabena. Of the second degree of hardiness: "Wealthy, Malinda, Anisim, Iowa Beauty, Lowland Raspberry, Jewell's Winter, Milwaukee. Valuable in some locations: Wolf River, Yellow Transparent, Longfield, Northwestern Greening, Tetofsky, Peerless. Most profitable varieties for commercial planting in Minnesota: Wealthy, Duchess, Patten's Greening, Okabena, Anisim. Recommended for top-working on hardy stocks : Wealthy, Malinda, N. W. Greening, Stayman's Winesap, Grimes' Golden, Milwaukee, Mcintosh. Varieties for trial : Eastman, Evelyn, Windsor Chief, Gilbert.

Crabs and Hybrids. For general cultivation : Florence, Whitney, Early Strawberry, Sweet Russet, Transcendent. Varieties for trial: Faribault, Dartt, Success.

Plums and Hybrid plums. For general cultivation: De Sota, Forest Garden, Wolf (freestone), Wyant, Stoddard, Terry. Most promising for trial: Compass Cherry, Hanska, Opata, Sapa.

Grapes. First degree of hardiness: Beta, Janesville. Second degree of hardiness: Moore's Early, Campbell's Early, Brighton, Delaware, Worden, Concord, Moore's Diamond, Wyoming Red.

I always had a predilection for horticulture as far as I can think back. Even as a boy of eight years I had already transplanted a small pear tree from the woods to my grandfather's garden in July. Of course, three days later the tree was dead. In our school the teacher spoke interestingly on horticulture and one time showed us boys how to graft trees. I was all eye and ear and I never forgot this one lesson. After coming to St. Joseph in this county I did my first grafting. Later as a student and professor I had no time to do any horticultural work. It was only when our old orchard at St. John's had been removed and no one ever thought of planting a new one, that I felt a desire to do something in this line. In the fall of 1893 a neighbor of ours brought me a few beautiful apples. They were the Wealthy and the Whitney. In answer to my questions, he told me that he grew them at his place. That settled it for me. I at once asked him for scions and, inspected his trees. They were about 10 years old, healthy looking and bearing heavily. We had a few seedlings in a small garden and I grafted 45 of them to Wealthy and Whitney in the spring of 1894. At the same time I ordered three dozen apple trees from a Wisconsin nursery, not then knowing that there were nurseries in Minnesota. The trees came, they were Wealthy, Duchess and Wolf River apples, Shield and Grant's crabs. I planted my orchard, the trees 16 feet apart each way. The work was done well and the trees grew.

But I got my setback. On June 27, 1894, a cyclone passed over St. John's, leaving only ruin and destruction in its track. I was told my orchard was all ruined. After two days I went out to see the extent of the damage. No trees in the orchard were broken off, but the side of the trees facing the cyclone was full of sand driven into the bark. All the trees recovered. I did not get off so easy with my little nursery. The fence was blown to pieces and thrown in on my grafted small trees, timbers and bricks, boards, dead chickens and lots of debris were lying on them. I cleared the garden and found 30 trees beyond redemption and 15 partly broken off. These were bandaged with grafting wax and strips of cloth. They healed up nicely, made good orchard trees and are bearing fruit today. In July of that year I joined the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, of which I am still a member. From reading the Horticultural Magazine and other publications I obtained all my information in horticulture. I improved my method of grafting, growing trees (also evergreens), of planting, cultivation best adapted to my conditions and in general all necessary orchard work. It saved me many a dollar and much sad experience. Every beginner in fruit-growing should become a member of this society and be guided by the practical instructions of the old horticulturists who blazed the way to success.

My first setback in horticulture did not in the least discourage me, but rather urged me on to try again. From now on I planted some seed from hardy crabs every fall to grow seedlings for root grafting. A hundred grafts or more were made every winter, and planted in the spring. They were kept free from weeds and cultivated. In a few years I had more trees than were needed. The trees set in the orchard staked to prevent them from leaning over to the northeast side, that they would not be sun-scalded. They were cultivated just around the trees, mulched in the fall and protected with veneers from injury by mice, rabbits and sun. In a few years they started to bear. But I wanted to do more ; I wanted to experiment to try new sorts, and find out myself what could be grown successfully in Stearns county. About 1896 I became acquainted with an old pioneer of fruit-growing, Chas. Luedloff of Cologne, Carver county. He had more than a hundred varieties of apples on trial, as also many plums. He supplied me most willingly with any sort I wished to try. Every fall he would send me scions of 10 to 15 kinds of apples and plums for grafting. He even imported grafting wood from Germany and sent me some of it complimentary. I found much pleasure in these trials but with little success.

As the years went by I tried more than 200 varieties of apples, 60 varieties of plums, 35 varieties of grapes and 10 varieties of cherries. I imported 50 sorts of apples, 15 of pears, and 5 of cherries from Germany and the Hon. John Arctander of Minneapolis sent over from Norway a half dozen kinds of apples. Besides these I received many varieties from Wisconsin, Iowa and South Dakota. I tried them all only to find out that these foreign importations as well as the most of the other kinds were not suited to our climate. I tried many apples and pears from Russia, prunes and cherries from Poland, but all with the same disastrous result. From the Bureau of Plant Introduction of the U. S. Department of Agriculture I obtained several varieties of Chinese pears, also apples and other fruits. All of these went the same way, with the possible exception of one or two pears which are still alive. I could have easily avoided all this useless labor, for I had before me the experience of the pioneers in horticulture ; but no, I wanted to find out myself ; and then, too, these trials are so interesting that one likes to keep on, although he is quite sure he will fail. Not being able to accomplish anything this way I tried it with seeds. I imported a pound of pear seed of the hardiest kind and raised some 1,500 seedlings, half of which I gave to the Minnesota State Fruit Breeding Farm and the other half I planted. As to the results I may say that nearly all suffered from our winter's cold. More than half blighted to death. A few, however, not more than five or six trees seem to be reasonably hardy and maybe will stay with us. Hence I would suggest : Do not experiment, leave this part of horticulture to the expert. As for practical results, I might mention that I have had about 100 varieties of apples and 50 of plums in bearing, but it would have been considerably better to reduce this number to only a few varieties. Among all these sorts there are only some 10 to 15 good kinds and the others are more or less undesirable for one reason or another. If I had planted only Duchess, Wealthy, Patten's Greening, Okabena and Anisim I am quite certain that I would have picked more than 1,000 bushels of apples instead of 800 in 1913.

But after all, experiments are necessary in a new country, for without them we would not be able to raise apples in Stearns county today. The experimenter finds his reward for the labor in the great satisfaction he has whenever he is lucky enough to bring a new variety to fruiting. Last season, for instance, I had the satisfaction of raising my first pears of three varieties, two kinds of blue plums and one kind of prunes. But the trees, coming from

Europe, may be dead after a cold winter. I have something better than all these foreign importations - I mean my native grapevine "Alpha." We found it in our woods. The vine is hardy and healthy and of vigorous growth. The grapes are of good size, the bunches growing to 7 inches long by 4 inches wide. The fruit is just a little smaller than the Concord. The quality is excellent, no foxiness or wild flavor in the grapes. The Alpha is ripe and ready for the table the first week in September, but if left on the vines till the end of this month it will become perfectly sweet with just a little vinous taste. This is something of real value, the more so as the vine, when well established, will stand a cold of 40 degrees below zero without any protection. Anyone coming to St. John's may see these grape vines. Parties wishing to try the Alpha may get it from Geo. W. Strand, Taylor's Falls, Minn.

My work in horticulture has been considered of much value to the state by such men as the late Professor of Horticulture, S. B. Green of the Minnesota State University. On two occasions he came to St. John's and looked over my work. He was so well pleased, that the next year I was elected a vice-president of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society for 1907. After that year I was appointed superintendent of the Trail Station established at St. John's University by the same State Society, which office I am still holding. It is my duty to try out new fruits, make experiments and observations of all things horticultural and send in semi-annual reports of the station to the secretary of the society.

I was carrying on quite a number of other experiments. I raised about 50 apple seedlings for new fruits, some were really promising. The two best ones set fruit for the first time last season, but blight got in its work and killed both of them. Some years ago I topgrafted a hardy pear seedling with 12 varieties of good pears. They grew very well, but the tree was finally ruined by canker. I poUenized a few blossoms of a Patten's Greening with the pollen of a long-keeping German apple to get seed for a hardy longkeeping winter apple. The work was quite successful, but the hybrid apples I never got, they were stolen when almost ripe. I did quite a little topworking. Some of these resulting trees are among my best ones. Others overgrew the stock, because the graft was of a faster-growing variety, and again others failed to unite. The scions simply dropped off when the tie was removed. There was not much affinity between the woodcells of stock and scion. I could mention many more such trials and failures but these I think will do to show that in experiments there are more disappointments than successes. "With cherries I did not do much, although I planted some 75 trees. They are not hardy enough and when they do bear a few cherries the birds get them all.

For the last 15 or 16 years I have taken great interest in growing evergreens from seed. This is not so easy to accomplish as it may appear to many. Even with the closest attention to particulars failures are unavoidable. In order that the seed shall sprout.it is necessary to give it forest conditions. For that purpose something like an arbor is built over the seedbed with laths excluding about half of the sunlight. On the well-prepared bed the seed may be sown broadcast or in rows. The seed is rolled down lightly and cov- ered with fine sand one-fourth of an inch or with moist sawdust. The bed is now well watered and covered with clean hay or straw. The bed must never get dry. In three or four weeks the seed comes up and the cover is removed. The young plants should not get too much water or disease will set in and all may damp off. To avoid loss weeding every week or ten days is necessary. In the fall the seedlings are covered with straw for protection during the first winter. When the plants are two or three years old they are ready for forest or grove planting. I have raised thousands of evergreen seedlings and lost thousands of them from damping off and freezing. I have now 15 varieties growing on our grounds at St. John's. The best evergreens are the White, Norway, Scotch and Bull Pines; the Norway, White, and Colorado blue spruces; the Douglas and Balsam firs, the European Larch, and the White and Red Cedar. All pines do better on sandy land and all spruces do better on good fertile soil if it is not too dry. For Stearns county I would recommend the Scotch pine for a windbreak, as it is one of the fastest growers. If two or three rows of them are planted with the trees only six feet apart they will give entire satisfaction.

At the present time we do not know what Stearns county has in store for us, we do not realize its possibilities in fruit growing as yet. But let me tell you, Stearns county, with its many wooded hills and numerous lakes, with its open prairies and extensive forests, is one of the best adapted counties in Minnesota for horticulture. As it is now one of the foremost agricultural counties, so it will be one of the best fruit-growing counties in the state. Since we have accomplished so much in a few years, we may confidently and reasonably expect to accomplish more in the time to come. There is no doubt in my mind that we have the land for it. Are you skeptical? Walk out into the woods; there you will find native varieties of all kinds: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, cherries, thornapples, hazelnuts, grapevines and many others. Now all these native fruits would not grow there if the soil were not adapted to their requirements. As for quality, it is a law of nature that fruits grown at their northern limits are better than the same fruits grown further south. This is why our Minnesota strawberries, for instance, are much better than those from Louisiana. "But you cannot change the cold winters, which are so injurious to our fruits," I am told. Yes, this is very true, we cannot change the cold winters, but we can change the fruits so they will stand the winters. This is just the very thing that is now being done at the Minnesota State Fruit Breeding Farm at Zumbra Heights near Lake Minuetonka. And how is this to be accomplished'? By trying to combine the hardiness of our native fruits with the good qualities of the cultivated varieties. Take for instance the plum. The flowers of the wild plum from the woods are crossed by hand with the pollen from a California or a Japanese plum. The resulting seeds contain now the qualities of both plums, liardiness to stand our winters and quality to suit our taste. By planting these seeds we may obtain what we want, a good hardy plum tree that will stand our winters and bear excellent plums akin either to the California or

Japanese plum. I said we may, for many trials are necessary to find one plum in which both of these qualities are dominant. In this manner the work of fruit-breeding is carried on with all other fruits. Good results have already been obtained, although the work of fruit-breeding has only been carried on for six years. There are now originated new strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, grapes and plums. There are now thousands of hybrid trees and plants growing at the Fruit Breeding Farm; all are tried and only the few good ones will be propagated and sent out to the trial stations for their final trial before they are recommended for general planting in the state. I am now trying out ten varieties of these new plums and one of raspberries. Should this work be carried on for a sufficient number of years, it is very probable that Minnesota will be able to grow some of the choicest fruits in the United States.

For the last twenty years I have been active in horticulture in Stearns county. I have studied the different cultural methods, soils, locations, requirements of the various fruits, climatic conditions and adaptability of many kinds of fruits in our trying climate. Looking at all these different aspects as necessary knowledge for practical results in fruit culture and knowing that by giving at least its salient points I may do much toward better progress and development in horticulture of our county, I shall now endeavor to give some of the underlying truths or rather conclusions as a guide for others, just as I have gleaned them from any practical work.

The location of an orchard is of the greatest importance. The best place is the northeast slope of a hill. If not available, a northern or an eastern slope is all right. Should there be no hill close to the house a piece of level ground about the premises may be selected. The worst location for an orchard is a southern or western slope of a hill and low ground. Trees need water at all times and will not succeed on a dry hillside nor can they bear wet feet in low places, where, too, they are exposed to all the early and late frosts and the greater difference of temperature between day and night. The orchard or trees in a farmer's garden need sufficient air drainage and at the same time protection from the strong winds and cold blasts of winter, hence a good partial wind-break is much to be desired. We should aim to give the trees the best location available and sufficient protection.

The best soil is black loam with a clay subsoil of an open texture. The clay should contain about 20 to 30 per cent of sand so that the water can percolate right down deep. Should the clay be so stiff that no water would go through it, but rather accumulate on top of the impervious clay, the trees would suffer from too much water. Some subsoils consist of a hardpan and will not do for trees. The hardpan should first be broken up by a charge of dynamite before the trees are planted on this soil. Some subsoils are rather sandy but contain some clay ; this may make a fairly good location. Avoid all subsoils of pure sand and gravel, for these soils hold no water, it goes right through as fast as it falls. If you must use such a soil, plow the top soil together into high reaches 20 feet wide. This may be the only way for you to grow apples on such a soil.

and its wild nature subdued. If you have a piece of sod land that would be handy for an orchard, break it up and crop it for two years, then, plow it in the fall and make ready for planting in the spring. Order your trees in the fall and heel them in over winter. On a dry place dig a slanting hole two feet deep for the roots, tapering to six inches for the tops. Lay the trees in and put some soil on and between the roots. On these trees you may lay some more. When the trees are all in and the roots covered a little with ground, place some pieces of boards crosswise over the entire trees and fill in the hole with ground and somewhat higher, so that no water will stay there. It is good to put some straw on it for protection, which ought to be removed early in the spring. The trees will come out of their winter quarters in the very best condition for planting and are far ahead of those ordered in the spring. Plant the trees 20 feet apart in rows running north and south and the rows should be 25 feet apart. If many trees are to be planted plow crosswise the proper distance apart and at the point of intersection dig the holes large and wide enough for the roots. If only a few trees are to be planted, the holes may be made with the shovel just as needed for planting, that the ground will not dry out. It is not impossible to plant trees in sod. On steep hillsides trees should be planted in sod to prevent washouts by heavy rains. Dig up the soil the size of a wagonwheel, spade the ground deep, make the hole in the centre and plant your tree. Set the trees about four inches deeper than they stood in the nursery, cut off any broken root in such a way that the cut looks downward. Spread out the roots the way they grew and work the top soil among them. Fill in gradually till the roots are covered about four or five inches deep, then firm the ground solid with your boots and weight. The last two or three inches of soil are kept loose. The ground should dish toward the trees to hold the water from the rains. No subsoil and no manure are used for planting, nor is water necessary, when the ground is reasonably moist; should the ground be dry, then of course water would have to be applied.

After planting, the tops should be pruned. Leave only four strong branches six inches long. The leader, too, should be cut back to grow a lowtopped tree and this is of great advantage later. Trees coming from the nursery in the spring should be put in water over night or buried in moist ground for two days before planting. Trees should be cultivated often; should this be impossible put a mulch of straw about them to keep the ground cool and moist. In planting the trees should be well inclined towards the one o'clock sun or should be staked so that they will not lean over to the northeast from the winds and get sunscalded. It is well to put on a wooden veneer or any other shade to protect the trees from the sun, mice and rabbits at all times. In the fall the trees may be whitewashed up to the branches. It is well to look over your trees sometimes, for bugs and worms might get in their work.

This method of planting, which should be done in early spring, may be recommended for all fruit trees. For plums and their hybrids, if not originated from the sand cherry, I would suggest to use a richer and moister soil for their location. If it be a little sandy it would not hurt. For plums a somewhat lower ground may be used, provided it is not too wet and is free from late frosts, for plums flower early. Cherries delight in high sandy locations, but the ground should be fertile. Nothing more need be said about cherries, as we have no variety sufficiently hardy in our county.

Grapes prefer a sunny location, a south slope of a hill is the best and should be well protected from the cold north and southwest winds. Only in such locations do they develop to perfection. They require a fertile but somewhat sandy, gravelly soil. Their propagation is quite simple. While fruit trees must be grafted, it is only necessary for the grape to cut off a well-grown piece of the vine from last year's growth about 10 inches long and stick it in the sandy soil up to the last bud. As a rule many such cuttings will grow and make nice plants by fall. Protect them over winter and in spring they may be transplanted in the vineyard or garden. The vines should be set apart at least eight feet each way. The grapevines should be pruned, laid down every fall and covered with ground for protection over winter. The first fall they should be cut back to two buds, the second fall to one foot above ground. The third year they will begin to bear. In the fall one shoot, or if the vine is strong, two shoots may be cut back to three good buds and all other shoots cut away entirely. Do this pruning every year and always in the fall. As the vines grow stronger more bearing wood may be left on, but remember that at least nine-tenths of the wood grown last season ought to be cut away, if you desire nice bunches with large berries. A trellis should be built for the vines to which they are tied in the spring. A fence with three barbless wires set up along the rows of grapevines will do.

Raspberries and blackberries may be propagated by suckers or root divisions. Currants and gooseberries are generally grown from cuttings just like the grapevines. But the cuttings are made as soon as the leaves drop off about the middle of August and planted at once. They will be rooted by late fall and may be transplanted next spring or better grown another year. They should be planted four feet apart in rows and the rows six feet apart. Mulching is a good thing for them. Raspberries and blackberries should be laid down and covered. The land may be of a sandy nature but rich in plant food.

Strawberry plants should always be obtained from nursery men, unless you want to grow them yourself from plants that were never allowed to bear fruit. The land for strawberries should be made extra rich, as they are great feeders. They prefer a sandy loam. The rows should be about four feet apart and the plants in the row about 18 inches. Take care to spread out the roots well in planting, which may be done with a spade, and just so deep that the crown of the plant is on a level with the ground. Cultivate frequently but do not allow them to bear the first season. When the runners appear, spread them out so that the new plants will grow about six inches apart. Keep the walk between the rows free from plants and weeds. The path should be at least a foot wide. Late in the fall the strawberry beds are to be covered with clean straw or marsh .hay. In the spring this cover is raked off and partly left in the paths. The plants will now grow vigorously, bloom and ripen lots of fruit by the end of June. Strawberries need much water just when the berries are about ripening. Should it not rain frequently, water must be applied rather freely. After the berries are picked, the bed is mowed, and the leaves removed and burned. Strawberries may bear a second year. For that purpose plow and harrow between the rows, leaving of the old bed only a strip one foot wide. New runners will soon grow new plants and the bed may be treated as the year before. After the second year it is better to plant a new bed.

There are many people in the county who like to experiment a little for themselves in growing fruit trees from seed. Some have already tried it, but for the greater part the results are not satisfactory, for the new fruits do not come true from the seed. As a rule they revert back to some of their worthless ancestors. But many times very good fruits may be grown that way and this work should be encouraged. The seeds should be taken from the finest, well-colored and best apples of its kind grown in Stearns county. Only the most perfect seeds should be planted 1^2 inches deep in October. They will come up in the spring. When the little trees have grown five or six leaves, they should be transplanted at least a foot apart in rows and cultivated. Those that grow a straight, vigorous, strong and clean stem with large thick, glossy leaves are the ones to grow seedling fruit from. The others are no good, but may be used for rootgrafting. As this work is of muchf value, the Plant Breeders' Auxiliary was started a few years ago and affiliated to the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. Any one interested may join it. To encourage this work many premiums are offered for new seedling apples and other fruits annually by the State Fair and other premiums from $100 to $1,000 by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. Has this growing of seedling trees ever been tried in Stearns county? Certainly, quite a number are doing it. I for one am at it and I know of a lady not far from Richmond who has grown and fruited 40 apple trees from seed.

Every one interested in horticulture should know how to graft and grow his own trees. This is easy to learn and saves him many a dollar for nursery stock. I would suggest to get Professor Green's Amateur Fruit Growing. You may have it for a premium, if you join the Horticultural Society. This book will teach you not only how to graft and grow your own trees, but everything a fruitgrower should know. I can give here only general directions. Sow the seeds from hardy crabapples in the fall for growing the seedlings. Late in the fall next year take out the strongest ones, cut back the top and roots a little, pack the roots in moist sawdust and keep them in a cool cellar. Cut the scions from apple trees you wish to grow late in the fall, too, but there should be no frost in the trees. The scions should be strong tips of branches grown last season and should be kept the same way as the roots. In February you may do the grafting in your room. This is done by making a slanting cut three-quarters of an inch long at the collar of the root, make a similar cut at the end of the scion, which should be four inches long, so that both cuts fit fairly well together or cover each other. Make a perpendicular cut in the center of the cut of the root and scion and interlock them by inserting the tongue of one into the slit of the other so that bark and wood fit well together at least on one side. Wind a waxed strip of cloth over the entire cut part and the graft is finished. After grafting put them back again in the moist saw- dust in the cellar. In early spring plant the grafts in rows, open the ground with a spade, set down the graft to the last bud, firm the ground and cultivate. It will take but a week or two until the grafts start to grow, provided the work has been done well. Should small apple or plum trees already growing in the garden be grafted above ground it is necessary to put an extra coat of grafting wax over the tie, that the grafts will not dry out. There are many different methods of grafting, but the principle is always the same. A good grafting wax may be made by melting 4 oz. of yellow bees wax, 3 oz. of rosin and 1 oz. of pure tallow together. Mix well and run yarn or strips of cloth one-third inch wide through the wax. The strips should only be saturated with wax and as too much wax will adhere, pull the strips through between two sticks.

To round out these gleanings from my work, to make them more useful to the farmers, it seems to me I should not omit to write about some of the worst menaces to our fruit trees. I do not mean bugs, worms and insects in general, for these can be controlled with chemicals, and in particular cases the proper remedies will be suggested by the State Entomologist, but I mean to say that blight has been and is still responsible for the loss of many of our fruit trees. Since the initial years of horticulture in Stearns county many thousand trees have been planted. Where are they now? Gone, mostly killed by blight. It is not so much the cold, for we have trees hardy in top and root which are able with a little care to withstand the cold and outgrow an occasional injury from frost. But it is blight, which is in evidence in so many of our orchards and gardens some years, that cause our trees to go down. In midsummer, when everything is growing vigorously our trees are stricken, the leaves wither, turn brown as if seared, the branches get dry, the infection spreads from tree to tree and in a year or two the orchard is only a sad ruin of its former health and vigor. What can we do to save our trees? In the first decade of horticulture our fruit growers were simply at a loss what to do and even now we have no sure remedy for this condition. Yet we can do much to save the trees by cutting out the blighted branches, by being vigilant and ever ready to remove any part of the tree on which blight makes its reappearance. As blight is an infection, it becomes necessary to disinfect the knife after every cut by the use of kerosene or other means. The infected branches should be cut off about six inches below the infection and all branches and leaves burned. Only thorough work will be successful in saving the trees and eradicating blight.

Sunscald also causes much damage to our fruit trees. It cracks the bark on the south side of the tree, generally in early spring; in summer the bark drops off, the wood is exposed and decay sets in. Many shade and other trees may be seen injured that way on the south side from the branches down to the ground. Many apple trees may be observed leaning over to the northeast, with but a few green branches on that side, while on the opposite side the stem and branches are dead. Such trees are an eyesore and will soon pass out of existence. With a little care this injury may be readily prevented by inclining the trees at the time of planting to the one o'clock sun, by shading the stems with anything handy except tar paper, by encouraging branches to grow on that side, by white-washing the stems in the fall. This latter treatment may also be recommended against many insects and mice. Always try to keep your trees in a healthful, vigorous condition and they will reward you with bountiful crops.

Now we have to pay a little attention to our large fruit list. A beginner in fruit growing not knowing the different varieties would find it very difficult to select the proper ones. Though they are all recommended and may be planted, they are not all equally good in quality, in bearing, keeping and hardiness. For his little orchard the beginner wants the very best trees. I shall now assist him and mention only the best bearing trees in the order of their keeping quality, which is from one to five months. Should a man want to plant a half dozen apple trees on his town lot, I would suggest : One Duchess, one Okabena, one Patten's Greening and three Wealthy. For planting a dozen trees, double the above number. For an orchard of 25 apple trees and six plums I would select two Duchess, two Okabena, five Patten's Greenings and fifteen Wealthy. Should a few crabs be desirable, two Whitney, four Florence and two Transcendent crabs may be selected. Of plums, De- Sota, Forest Garden or Wolf will be all right. If an orchard of 100 trees is to be planted I would suggest five Duchess, five Okabena, twenty-five Patten's Greenings, ten Anisim, fifty Wealthy and five Malinda. Should crabs be planted, the above number may be reduced and Whitney, Florence and Transcendent crabs planted instead. For larger orchards plant liberally of the Wealthy, as this apple may be kept till February with a little care and is the best one we can grow and always sells for the highest price. For plums every variety from the general list is all right. As grapevines, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries should be protected over winter, it does not matter much which varieties are planted. Yet I would not plant the Concord, as it does not get ripe every year, but I would prefer the Janesville and the Worden, and of strawberries the Splendid and Dunlap.

In conclusion I may suggest, not to plant many of other varieties if you desire to get much and fine fruit from a few trees. Protect the grapes and small fruits well over winter except the currant and gooseberries, the bushes of which need only be tied together. Leave new sorts with high prices alone, if you don't want to be humbugged, but rather follow the advice of those having experience.

I have written this article on horticulture in Stearns county with much pleasure and a great desire to render a service to horticulture in general and to our planters in particular. Should our farmers and townsmen find it helpful in their fruit-growing, I would consider myself well rewarded for this work.

The Belgrade Station

It will perhaps be difficult to get a true report of horticulture in Stearns county from any one individual, speaking from conditions in his own neighborhood. Stearns is a large county with considerable range in altitude, slopes and climatic conditions. This may sound extravagant but it is true relating to horticulture. Apples and practically all fruit do best on heavy soil and on the north slope of steep hills, and we might add on timber soil. Also the presence of bodies of water is of great value. All of these favorable conditions are found in some parts of the county while we might say they are wholly lacking in other parts. We therefore find fruit thriving in some parts of the county while in other parts there is hardly any to be found. The difference in elevation from the Mississippi river on the eastern boundary to the headwaters on the western borders of the county affects fruit growing to a considerable extent. The heavy soil on the north slope of a hill near a lake or river is the best location for apples and in such locations apples do very well in this county. Sandy soil, a fine sand all the way down, is not so good and in such localities fruit growing is not so successful, though the Compass cherry, a cross between a cherry and a plum, does best on sandy soil and possibly some small fruits, and it is possible that even some varieties of apples would do just as well on this kind of soil. Plums will probably succeed comparatively better than apples on sandy soil. For a number of years, however, plums have been an uncertain crop throughout the state. Sandy soil underlaid with clean gravel, such as we have in this corner of the county, is perhaps the least favorable of all for fruit growing, and still there is a possibility that we may overcome difficulties here.

My father, who was the first settler in the southwestern corner of Stearns county, having settled here in 1859 or 1860, planted what was undoubtedly the earliest crab apple orchard in this part of the county. In my earliest recollection this orchard was in full bearing. Old settlers have told me that in the early days it was both a curiosity and a land mark. My father (C. H. Johnson, known best to old settlers by the name of Christian Sandvig) does not remember when the orchard was planted, but remembers that it was bearing apples before the grass-hoppers came. This orchard perished, but my father continued to patronize the nursery agents liberally every year and has now an orchard of many varieties. My own orchard, while containing possibly a greater number of trees than any orchard in this vicinity, is comparatively young and most of the trees are not in bearing. The trouble on this soil seems to be that while fruit trees grow beautifully in favorable seasons when there is plenty of rainfall well distributed (and excessive rains seem to do no harm), drought becomes effective sooner on this light soil than on heavy soil and is perhaps responsible for most of the losses to both crop and trees. To correct this evil I have for a number of years been experimenting with irrigation with muck and it may be of interest to note that irrigation with muck has originated in this county. Three times I have been called to talk to the State Horticultural Convention on this subject. One of these articles is published in the Horticultural Annual for 1910, the other in 1911. The last article presented at the last meeting has not yet been published. While much of my work up to date has been experiments to develop the best and most economical methods and necessary preliminary preparations I have proved to my entire satisfaction that irrigation with muck is both practical and economical. The idea is briefly described. When there is considerable need for water and rain does not come to supply that need, we irrigate by operating a suction dredge in the lake where there is four to ten feet of soft rich muck under the surface of the water. My dredge has a capacity of about 260 gallons per minute with a ten horsepower engine. While this seems a large quantity of water to pour out on dry land, it is really a very small dredge compared with suction dredges used to deep harbors and river channels, otherwise the pumping or dredging works very much the same as the large dredges. The discharge from this pump is forced from the dredge out in the lake to the shore and to the highest elevation of land on my farm through long pipes. From the outlet of the pipe the muck-laden water can be conducted to any or every part of my orchard and farm of 33 acres by gravity to water the trees and plants and enrich the soil.

The Paynesville Station

All the fruit recommended by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society can be grown successfully in Stearns county. Many other varieties can be grown here and new kinds are being added yearly. The success we have had in Paynesville in raising fruit seems almost marvelous. Only a few years ago most people were satisfied to grow even enough crab apples for home use, but the present situation is very different. This was an "off year" for apples, but our orchard was fairly loaded with as fine fruit as could be grown anywhere. The results were also very satisfactory as to plums and cherries. There are probably 300 trees of all kinds in bearing in our orchard. For small fruit, such as raspberries, strawberries, etc., no place has a better soil or climate than Stearns county.

As to soil, location, etc., I would advise the use of a north or east slope, if possible ; if your ground is level, use it ; if there is neither a north or east slope nor level land, use what you have and raise fruit. Any soil that will grow good corn will grow good fruit if properly cared for.

Apple trees should be planted at least 20x25 feet apart (more is better) and well cultivated and cared for until they come into bearing, when the orchard may be seeded to clover but never to timothy.

In reply to the inquiry regarding nurseries, would say that we (Frank Brown & Son) have a nursery where is grown a complete line of trees, shrubs, and flowers. In the season there are 50,000 peonies, of over 125 varieties, in bloom. - (By Frank Brown.)