The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-02-17
Local Affairs.
Legislative Agricultural Meeting.
APPLES AND PEARS.

Legislative Agricultural Meeting.
APPLES AND PEARS.
The Club held very interesting meeting
on Thursday evening, to discuss Fruit Grow
ing in Minnesota. The President, Col.
STEVENS, presided.
Mr.. Shrewsbury said he had always
thought he could raise fruit here. He spoke
of person at the mouth of Crow River,
who brought 200 apple trees here, two or
three years ago. They grew rapidly and
are as large as ones arm. 1t is timbered
land, loamy, sandy soil, where the trees. were
guarded from north winds.
Mr.. Abbott, of LIE Sueur county, was
hopeful of raising apples and pears in the
Big Woods, but out on prairie they had
not been successful. In the timber they are
sheltered from blasts, and had generally done
we'll. 1t is better to plant on the north side
of slopes as the warm sunshiny days in win
ter do them more injury than cold. The
great trouble is too rapid growth of the
trees; they do not need manure at all-but
as the soil grows older, this will probably
be obviated. He thought Gran berries were
our great crop, being easily transported and
preserved.
Mr.. Newson mentioned several persons in
this vicinity who had raised apples success
fully, and had thrifty trees. He believed
that with proper culture they can be raised
from the seed to do we'll. AS to pears, he
mentioned seeing at Lieut.. Maury's, in
Washington, pear which that gentleman
said would do we'll in Minnesota. 1t was
trailed, and the strength not used in the
stock went into the fruit. He has likewise
seen peaches and grapes raised here. Hence
he concluded, we can raise them, and should
give tia trial.
Mr.. Bixler thought apples could be raised
from seed, if at all. He had tried trees but
they were nearly all killed by cold and
drought. He mentioned trials made by some
neighbors, which were partially successful,
and they had trees which were doing well,
and seemed rugged. He rather favored
raising from the seed, and thought to get
good seed was important. His land was
sandy loan. The most successful instance
he had met with was where the trees had
been raised on clay soil.
Mr.. Stock, of Blue Earth county, said
that his wife had planted some apple seeds
last spring, and by fall they had dozen
little trees foot high. They looked we'll.
He covered them with straw-don't know
how they would turn out. He had bought
trees, but all but three died. He mentioned
a person in that region who had trees in a
cornfield that were ten feet high, but had
not heard of raising any apples. 1t was in
sandy soil, protected by belt of timber.
He thought by protecting trees we could
raise fruit but was not over sanguine on the
subject.
Mr.. Shrewsbury said it was necessary
to understand the manner of raising the
seedlings. They are apt to freeze the first
winter or two. He had thought it possible
to do we'll with the seeds of acclimated
varieties. He thought how to protect them
was an important question.
Mr. Rentz of Carver county, had tried
imported trees, and planted seed, but had not
succeeded we'll in either case. He mentioned
having brought from Germany summer be-
fore last, several prune trees, which were
doing we'll and growing finely. He spoke
of the success of Mr.. Mataler of Dakota
county, who had trees which were old
enough to bear, and had been able to winter
the acclimated varieties without much
trouble. He warrants the trees to grow
and bear.
Mr.. Newson thought it was now demon
strated that we can raise fruit. He men,
toned the grating practiced on trunks Of
the crab" and feared the fruit would not
be so good as from seed that was not raised
on gratis
(Mr. Ford said it was just as good, and
the fruit is larger.)
Mr.. Newson-Then there is nothing in
the way of raising good apples. He spoke
then of the Siberian crab, and the plan Of
grating on this species of hardy apple.
In regard to seedlings, it seemed it was
necessary to take good care OF them for the
first two winters but with care and atten-
ton, apple raising was beyond single
doubt practicable.
Col. Stevens mentioned his experience
with one hundred imported trees several
years since A few lived they would grow
up in summer and the next winter killed the
growth. He mentioned Rev. Mr.. Pond, of
Oak Grove, who had lived in Minnesota a
good many years, and who had successfully
raised trees, and got apples off of them year
after year. Also, Mr.. Furber, of Cottage
Grove, planted seeds several years since, and
in six years afterwards had pies made from
apples of the same trees. The tendency to
grow too fast had been mentioned, but this
would be avoided as the soil gets Older, and
the richness wears out. The Colonel was
positive from what be bad observed in this
State, that the most instances of success are
where the fruit is grown on clay soil.
Mr.. Hough, of Washington county, said
he had trees five years old, grated in the
root, and seedlings of the same age. He
saw 20 superiority in the former-they were
about the same size. The soil was clayey,
land high. He was confident of having fruit
next year. None Of his trees had been en-
tirely killed. He said once the people in
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