The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-02-24
Local Affairs.
LEGISLATIVE FARMERS, CLUB.
"sMALL FRUITS" IN MINNESOTA.

'sMALL FRUITS IN MINNESOTA.
The seventh meeting of the Club was held
in the House Chamber on Monday evening
last. The subject was, "Small Fruits"
COL Stevens, President of the Club in the
Chair.
INDIGENOUS FRUITS OF MINNESOTA.
Mr.. Clarke, of Lake Superior, made some
very interesting statements regarding indi-
genous fruits found in Minnesota between
parallels 45o and 400. First, the StraaO-
berry, which grows in profusion up as far as
Rainy Lake, and on the 47th parallel is
found from quarter to three quarters of an
inch in diameter, ripening in June and July.
He mentioned transplanting them, and in
the Sd year thereafter they excelled the
English Strawberry in quantity, and he
thought the fruit was even more delicious.
OFF of bed, l2xl5 feet, there was gathered
half bushels.
- The Red Currant, also, was another indi-
genous shrub, growing all over Northern
Minnesota. 1t is the same as our domestic
currant, and improves by cultivation.
The For Grape likewise grew in the
thickets, but might be improved by proper
cultivation.
All varieties of the Rose are also found
wild here.
] DEPRESSION ON APPLES.
Mr.. Clarke then depressed from the even.
ings subject, and mentioned the old maxim
that where the Agetine rose, and the Crab
apple would grow. that apples could be
raised. He gave some very encouraging
facts for Minnesota Farmers in regard to
apples planted by his father in 1914, in New
York. They came up and were winter
killed every winter, but finally two sprouts
came up from the old tough roots, that in
two years bore apples, and from them they
had fiourishing orchard. This learned us
to get good rOots-old roots produce short
sprouts that grow slow, and are tough
hence stand the winters we'll, and are a good
stock for grating in.
He spoke of apple trees on the Apostle
Islands, in Lake Superior latitude 46h
planted by Mr.. G. H. Oaks ofthis city some
years since. which had born on alternate
! years for seven years. He had eaten apples
from them, and the trunks of the trees were
six inches thick, the soil was composed of
the debris of old red sand stone, and in the
winter the snow usually lies two and q half
or three feet deep. These facts, he said,
should encourage the farmers of Minnesota
to press on in their endeavores to produce
apples, and be believed they would finally be
successful.
CRANBERRIEs.
The cranberry crop is extensive all over
the Northern country, plenty about once in
three years, and crop moderate the other
two. In regard to cultivation, he could
give no data.
The High Bush Cranberry is also found
pentifully, and bears we'll when transplant>
ed. 1t grows from three to ten feet high,
and has clusters of berries like plums, about
the size of the bullets of pocket revolver,
somewhat elongated ;-ripens in September
and October. 1t makes an excellent Juice
or sauce when cooked
BLACK CURRANTs
There are two species of currants indigo
nous: the black and red. The black grows
in this latitude, as we'll as the red, along the
margin OF streams bush four to six feet
high, being quarter to an half inch square.
1t is used for medicated sauce, and is con.
sidered good for sick persons. 1t fourishes
when dOmesticated.
THE RASPBERRY.
The red raspberry abounds in the Lake
Superior regions, and springs up spontane-
ousy around clearings or on burnt ground.
One man in the copper region makes from
fifteen to twenty tons of raspberry jam every
season, picking them around his rancho, and
making the maple sugar to preserve them
with. 1t is very lucrative. The raspberry
also can be domesticated.
THE WEATHER AT LAKE SUPERIOR.
Mr.. Clarke mentioned, incidentally, that
the climate around the lake, tempered by
the even warmth of the water, was not so
cold as at St. Paul, lat. 45o. The cold
winds blow ouer them, and the under current
is of uniform temperature.
INDIGENOUS FRUITS IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA.
Judge Dayton, of Fillmore county, spoke
of the small fruits n Southern Minnesota.
Strawberries, gooseberries, high bush Gran.
berries, and blackberries, are all found ma
tive, and had been cultivated with success
generally. His own (tame) currants had
been destroyed last season by late frost,
however, and the wild transpianted goose
berries widowed with the heavy rains. The
tame strawberries did will in that region,
and bore uxuriantly. Not so much atten,
ton had yet been given to small fruit cul-
ture as should be, but the Judge felt con-
yinced that there were none but what the
rich soil OF that district would produce well.
WILD FRUIT IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA.
Mr.. Shrewsbury, of West eHennepin,
spoke Of the indigenous and domestic small
fruits in that district of the State. There
were plums, gooseberries, cranberries-
marsh and high bush-black currants, red
and black raspberries, and all such forest
berries, in abundance. The raspberry
springs up spontaneously in clearings, and
bears in proportion. The people value it
highly, and cook and preserve in great guam
titles. In fact, they consider that they are
therehv compensated for the absence of