Wright County, Minnesota - Chapter 14: Wright County Horticulture, 1915

Original Conditions - Wild Fruit and Nuts - Pioneer Nurserymen - Difficulties Encountered - Progress Made - Some Valuable Advice - Wright County Members of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society - Exhibitions and Prizes - Varieties Best Adapted to Tliis County - Revised by W. H. Eddy.

Tlie larger part of Wright county was originally covered with a vast growth of timber, hard-woods of all varieties common to this region and climate. This great forest was broken here and there by splendid prairies, natural meadow lands, marshes, lakes and watercourses.

The natural food supply of fruits, nuts, berries and saps was most abundant, and flowers and shrubs kept the landscape brilliant with color from early spring until late autumn. Tlie shellbark hickory, the black-walnut, the butternut and the hazelnuts yielded nuts in abundance, the hard-maple produced sap for the making of hundreds of tons of maple sugar, and barks, herbs and roots furnished the Indian with the ingredients for his simple medicines and compounds. Cranberries grew in the marshes in great abundance, and were gathered by the Indians to sell in St. Paul and St. Anthony, long before the white people had settled in this county. The ginseng growing among the trees also proved a welcome source of wealth in the early days.

When the early settlers first came into this county it was believed that no cultivated fruit would ever grow here, and that such fruits as the apple, pear and plum, which in the eastern states they had been accustomed to picking in their back yards, would now have to be obtained, if used at all, from far distant points at heavy transportation expense. The weather conditions

The pioneers found liere, however, the wild apple, the wild grape, the black currant, the wild plum, the wild strawberry, the smooth and prickly gooseberry, the dwarf June berry, the sanji cherry, the choke cherry, the Buffalo berry and the high bush cranberry ; and as the trees were cut off, the red and black raspberry, and high bush blackberry increased in profusion.

The native apple was fortunately a good keeper that could be stored and used for a considerable time into the winter; the largest and best flavored made passable sauce, and perhaps as fine a jelly as can be produced from any fruit whatever. The trees were found on the edges of the meadows. The wild grape was as abundant then as it is today, and while very small both in bunch and in berry, was found in sufficient quantity to be used largely in marmalades, jellies and home-made wines. The wild plum was undoubtedly the best of the native fruits, some select kinds having a flavor surpassed by few of the stone fruits of any climate. It was very plentiful among the thickets at the edge of the timber, and along the water courses generally. It was the first of the native fruits to enter the cultivated lists, and through selection and hybridization it has beconu' the basis of the cultivated varieties of the north Mississippi valley. The wild strawberry was abundant in favorable seasons, and while rather soft and difficult to pick, was of such excellent flavor as to be perhaps the highest prized of all the native small fruits. The wild gooseberry, both the smooth and prickly form, was found in considerable abundance throughout the country. A few thrifty farmers transplanted some of these fruits to their gardens.

For many years fruit suitable for eating was considered a luxury to be enjoyed only by people of means. Gradually, liowever, the heavy timber was cleared oft', and soil and climate conditions changed somewhat. But the country was new, nmch wild land unsubdued, and the elinuite still luicongenial to fruit trees and varieties from other jiarts of the country not yet 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 cidture had to be developed by our 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 tlie many thus introduct'd that coidd be successfully grown in the Northwestern States. In the meantime, a dozen horticultural pioneers banded together and started the now great

Minnesota State Horticultural Society in 1866 for their mutual assistance and exchange of iileas 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 Transparent; and of crabs, the Transcendent, Siberian and Hyslop. Now we had at least a few apples that could be tried, but we had no cultivated 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 cultivated grapes and other small fruits, they were still obtained from the east.

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 crabapples, freely bought from the agents who now came annuall.y 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 Wright and other central counties at that time. The varieties that were generally to be had were the Tetofsky, Duchess and Transparent apples, and the Transcendent, Hyslop and Siberian crabs. But horticulture in Wright county, as elsewhere, had its drawbacks; the first venture of growing apples was on the whole not quite successful. For, although some crabs and apples bore well for a few years, blight and other diseases now appeared all over the coiuity 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 fruit-raising in Wright and surrounding counties 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 the central counties of the state : Apples, Duchess ; crabs, Transcendent and Hyslop; raspberries, Philadelphia, Brinckle's Orange and Doo- little ; blackberries, Kittatinny and Wilson ; strawberries, Wilson 's Albany, Jucunda, Charles Downing and Hovey's Seedling. With the exception of the apples and crabs, few fruits mentioned by Mr. Salter are now grown. He does not mention any currants and grapes, although they were grown at least to some extent in Wright and neighboring counties.

One of the pioneer nursery salesmen, who labored long and earnestly to promote the culture of fruit in this county and who presented a striking contrast to the methods of many other nursery agents of that time, was Frank Shanley, who, from 1874 to 1880, sold the Transcendent, Hyslop and Siberian varieties. Some of these trees flourished and gave delight to their owners, but many did not survive. It was believed, however, that these varieties represented the height of apple-growing in the county, and that these were the most suitable fruit trees that could be found for Wright county soil and climate.

In the meantime, however, Peter M. Gideon, of Lake Minnetonka, justly called the father of the Minnesota apple industry, had been pursuing his long and patient efforts in originating seedling apples suitable to growing in Minnesota. Among these varieties were the Wealthy, now at the head of the list for commercial planting in Minnesota, and the Peter, an apple similar in color and quality to the Wealthy. Through the work of Mr. Gideon it became apparent to the farmers that there were important lessons to be learned if they were to make the apple a staple crop in Wright county. Trees must be grown that were adapted to the soil and climate conditions, among the necessities being hardness of tree, strong constitutionality to resist blight and sun scald and endure the sudden and severe changes of winter, and the ability to mature in time to avoid the early frosts.

The progress of horticulture in Wright county from 1875 to 1893 was slowly but steadily advancing. One of the main drawbacks was the many unscrupulous agents who palmed off 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. 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. Witli 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 ajjples were propagated as fast as possible and planted in almost every county of the state. A few years later found these apples in many places in the county, doing well and bearing excellent fruit. The farmers would point with pride to their tine, healthy trees with bent-down branches full of luscious apples. These two varieties have done much in removing the old indiiiference 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 Avere originated and introduced by our experimenters, but none of them ever enjoyed the popularity of our W^ealthy. This apple, as mentioned, 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 everj' 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 Professor 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 Wright county and were successfully grown in many towns.

To show what was and could be grown in Wright county at the close of the year 1893, it is only necessary 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 Ar- lington. Of plums : Desota, Rollingstone, Forest Garden, Wolf, Weaver Oeheeda and Cheney. A similar large number of varieties of the smaller fruits were given. It is true, some of the above sorts were only considered hardy enough for the more southern counties, but all were tried even as far north as Stearns county, which is further north than Wright county, and found to be as hardy as any others that are successfully grown here.

The greatest progress in horticulture has been made in Wright county since 1893, and especially since 1899. 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. It is only necessary to mention such native seedlings now grown in Wright county as the Wealthy, Okabena, Peerless, Patten's Greening and many other sorts not so well known.

The people of Wright 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 eft'orts. 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?" Usiially 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. 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 iuformation on horticultural topics aud its annual meetings. 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. We mean the lecture corps which visits the principal towns and cities in our state. 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 we 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 Wright county; it was not even thought possible, and now the crop is both large and important.

Herewith is appended the list of fruits which was adopted by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society December 3, 1914, for the guidance of planters :

Apples. Of the first degree of hardiness : Duchess, Hibernal, Patten's Greening, Okabena. Of the second degree of hardiness: Wealthy, Malinda, Anisim, Iowa Iieauty, Lowland Raspberry, Jewell's Winter, ]\Iilwauke(\ 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.

Considerable interest has been taken 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 covered 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. 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 Wright county we 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 Wright county has in store for us ; we do not realize its possibilities in fruit growing as yet. But Wright county, with its 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 dairying counties, so it will bo one of the best fruitgrowing 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 that we have the land for it. Are you skeptical? Walk out into the woods ; there you will find native varieties of all kinds : straw- berries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, cherries, thornapples, hazelnuts, grapevines and many others. Now all these native fruits would not grow there if the soil were not atlapted 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," it is said. 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 Miunetonka. 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, hardiness 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. But 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. 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.

The following suggestions to the horticulturist are from the pen of Father John B. Katzner, 0. S. B., of St. John's University, who conducts the Experiment Station at Collegeville :

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 in high reaches twenty feet wide. This may be the only way for you to grow apples on such a soil.

The land for an orchard should have been in cultivation for a few years 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 coudition for planting and are far ahead of those ordered in the spring. Plant the trees twenty feet apart in rows running north and south and the rows should be twenty-five 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 bi'okcn root in sucli a way that tlie cut looks downward. Spread out the roots the way they grew and worK the top soil anioug them. Fill in gi-adually till the roots are covered about four or five inches deep, then firm the ground solid with your boots and weiglit. The last two or three inches of soil are kept loose. The groiuul shoidd dish toward the trees to hold the water from the rains. No subsoil and no nuuuire are used for planting, nor is water necessary, when the ground is reasoiuibly moist; should the ground be dry, then of coui'se 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 low-topped tree, anil this is of great ailvantage 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 shoukl be cultivated often ; should this be impossible, put a mulch of straw about them to keep the groiuid 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 reconnnended for all fruit trees. For plums and their hybrids, if not originated from the sand cherry, we 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 wellgrown piece of the vine from last year's growth about ten 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 eighteen 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 Wright eount.v. Only the most perfect seeds should be planted one and a half inches deep in October. They will come n\) 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 straiglit, 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 much value, the Plant Breeders' Auxiliary was started a few years ago and affiliated to the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. Any one interested umy 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.

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. We 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. We 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 m 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 sawdust 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 tlie 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 four ounces of yellow beeswax, three ounces of rosin and one ounce 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 rouzid out these gleanings, to make them more useful to the farmers, we should not omit to write about some of the worst menaces to our fruit trees. We 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 we 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 Wright 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 causes 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 jiart 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.

Siuiseald also causes much danmge to our fruit trees. It cracks the bark on the south side of the tree, generally in early spring; in summer the bark drops oft", the wood is exposed and decay sets in. Many shade and other trees may be seen injured in that way on the south side from the branches down to the ground. Many apple trt-es may be observed leaning over to the northeast, with but a few green branehes 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 reconunended and may be planted, they are not all equally good in quality, in bearing, keeping and hardiness. For his little orchard the beginnei' wants the very best trees. We 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, we woidd 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 twenty-five apple trees and six plums we woidd 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, DeSota, Forest Garden or Wolf will be all right. If an orchard of 100 trees is to be planted, we 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 we would not plant the (Joncord, as it does not get ripe every year, but we would prefer the Janesville and the Worden, and of strawberries the Splendid and Dunlap.

In conclusion we may suggest, not to plant many of other varieties if you desire to get nuich 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.

The first nursery in Wright couuty was the Howard Lake Nursery, established in 1887, by E. J. Cutts and A. P. Ball. Two years later the partnership was dissolved, leaving Mr. Cutts the sole owner. Mr. Cutts came from Maine to Minnesota largely for the purpose of benefiting his health. Soon he became interested in outdoor work as a nurseryman. A man of high ideals, a thorough lover of nature, conscientious in all his undertakings, and willing to sacrifice much for the benefit of his fellowmen, he set at work with a will, and soon became an extensive fruit raiser. At one time he had three and a half acres planted to grapes, then the largest vineyard in the county. He believed that the first place to try out a tree or a plant was the nursery. Thus year by year he labored. He was horticultural lecturer for the State Institute, and from 1892 to 1896 traveled with the Farmers' Institute Corps, and through lectures on horticulture, demonstrated in a practical way the things that he had learned from the successes and failure of plant life in this county, a subject of which he had a wide knowledge. He was editor of the horticultural department of the Northwestern Agriculturist and the Farmers' Institute Annual. He died suddenly, September 22, 1897, at the age of fifty-three years. The nursery was then sold to W. L. Taylor. In 1906 it was purchased by W. H. Eddy, the present owner.

Wi'ight county people have taken a prominent part in promoting interest in fruit culture throughout the state. Among the residents of this county who are active in the affairs of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society may be mentioned : Harold Simmons, J. A. McVeety, A. N. Carter, A. W. Richardson, A. Engell, L. W. Terry, W. J. Wildung, W. H. Eddy, G. A. Koenig and Julius Stholl, of Howard Lake ; J. W. Beckman, Nels Muuson and John Eklof, of Cokato; Dr. P. O'Hair, of Waverly; Ellsworth Seranton, of Montrose; C. A. Brunkow, Walter Burrows, Albert Czanstowshi, Mrs. Freda Marki, P. R. Peterson, J. H. Quinn, Charles Sell and Rev. Mathias Savs, of Delano ; Anna L. Allen, Mrs. William Davies, Mrs. Kate Denny, Rev. Joseph A. Heinz, T. W. IngersoU, M. F. Lowe and Mrs. James IMulqueeney, of Bufl'alo; John A. Ferguson, Mrs. Emma Maddy, S. H. McGuire, R. Shannon and Fred Shadduck, of Annandale ; F. C. Erkel, John Wilson and J. L. Ludescher, of Rockford ; and S. Erickson, of Hastv.

Great interest has been taken in horticultural exhibits at the county fair, and the horticultural display takes up more than its share of the space in the agricultural building. Wright county people have also made extensive displays of fruit at the Minnesota State Fair, and have won many prizes.

Through a careful testing out of the various kinds of fruit grown in the nursery of W. II. Eddy iu Howard Lake, it has been demonstrated that the following varieties are doing well in this county and can be grown successfully commercially :

Wright county has as good a soil as can be found for growing fruit, a fact that has already been fully demonstrated. At the present time there are over 8,000 bearing apple trees within a tract of land two miles square about Howard Lake.

Horticulture, in its true sense, brings out the beauties and comforts of enlightened homes, and in this regard the progress made iu Wright county is worthy of admiration.

In the past fifteen years a wonderful change has been wrought. Fruit is now one of the staple products of the county, and there is scarcely a farmer who does not own a few trees with which to supply his family. In fact, an ample supply of fruit is now at the command of every tiller of the soil in the county.

Looking backward over the progress of fifteen years, the horticulturists of the coxmty predict that the possibilities of the next fifteen vears are almost boundless.