River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-01-29
FRUIT AND CANE CULTURE.
@oint Annual Meeting of the Minnesota
State Horticultural Society and the Am
Der Cane Associs ton.

IL Society and the Amber Cane Association
were held at St Paul last week The winter
horticultural exhibition was held in connection
with this meeting, and consisted in display of
fruits of various kinds. The exhibition, al
though small, contained some fine specimens
of Minnesota fruit The apple display was es-
5ecially attractive, and wall go a good way
.oward establishing the views of those who
maintain that fruit growing may be carried on
IS a business with success and profit in the
Northwest
capt Russell Blakeley, President of the
Amber Cane Association made the opening
address, in which he said he had confidence
;hSt the return from the exhibit at New Orleans
viii be grand compliment to the Minnesota
no ticultural interests as well as to the milling
and general interests of the state. An appro-
pGilte and pleasant response TO Capt Blake
ley address was made by j. S. Harris of La
Crescent, on behalf of the visiting members.
resident Truman NJ Smith, of the horticultural
Ociety, then appointed as secretary pro TEN. e,
IN the absence or Mr.. Gibbs, S d. Hillman,
,ld as assistant secretary G. l. Smith
J. : Harris of the general fruit committee,
I.en presented an interesting report upon the
nit crop in Southern Minnesota. He said the
.Tuit crop of 1884 more satisfactory than in
revious years. The strawberry crop was
GOD and quality excellent Wilson's gave a
than usual, but it is not hardy enough to be-
come favorite in that section He said it
"Ould be good policy for every commercial
raw berry grower to use for setting only
3snts from the previous years planting, or to
lDualy taEo small plantations of the varieties
sssired, and cultivate them expressly for
;lants; or else to purchase the s.ttings from
ono one who makes the growing of plants
speciality. The interest In resDberries has de-
1lined The DoOlittle black-cap variety wherey-
for aAruaR- NFgna 4 duo two
The Turner produced beautiful crop Of
rather small berries; the Cuthbert was prom
ising well. Grapes in Southern Minnesota,
and in most parts of the state, were extra
ordinary crop, except in few instances where
they were affected with mildew or rot The
weather. was favorable for the growth The
concord was the leading variety under cultiva-
ion, while the Delaware stood next The
Worden, on Mr. Harris place was better than
any other variety. The GAINESVILLE was recon-
mended as an early Crane.
Concerning apples Mr.. Harris said, by the ap
pie gauser or curculio hundreds of bushels Of
Duchess apples were rendered worthless, and
other varities were more or less injured-prob-
ably the Willow Twig the worst Borers, tent
raterp1llars canker worms, scale blight and
mildew, are all ravaSiug the older orchards of
The state, and tell us IN the plainest of Ian
guage that eternal vigilance is the price Of
fruit
The culture of ginseng was discussed and
9. O. Smith, Col Stevens and Prof Porter
we're appointed a committee to take the matter
of tho cultivation of ginseng into consideration,
make experiments and report at tho next an
uuRl meeting
On discussing small fruits, Mr. C. K. BriIn-
hall of Ramsey county said that where he
mulched his strawberry bed 1t doubled the
yield while the berries were larger and lasted
a week after the berries were all gone from
the part of the bed that was not mulched He
used for mulchlng, straw from an old stack
bottom. He tried early and late planting and
found that plants set early were less liable to
Try out. made larger growth of vines ard
yielded more fruit II was claimed by several
speakers however and generally conceded
that the method of mulcliing should depend a
good deal upon location and soil.
The president, Truman NJ. Smith. read his
annual report;
He commenced by referring to the progress
of fruit culture IN Minnesota SINCE the time Of
the formation Of the Fruit Growers association
in lSh At that time, he said, there was hard
ly enough fruit raised in the state to make 4
respectable showing at a county fair In 1883,
$50, 135 bushels Of apples and 2u0,0O to 800
OO0 pounds of grapes were raised in Minnesota,
beside thousands of bushels of strawberries,
raspberries currants, etc. He spoke of the
fine quality of Minnesota fruits
We want more, better and harder fruits of all
kinds and with the aid of orr experimental
fruit farm, and experimental stations, we hope
that Minnesota will be able to make progress
in this matter; that fruit will be so cheap anu
plenty that 1t Will be within reach of all the
people. One Of our best fruits, the cranberry,
has been neglected, and is not az plenty as 1t
was fifteen or twenty wears ago when II grew
cranberric5 for our own use and large quan-
titles for other markets. The cultivation of
asparagus ard rhubarb should also be given
more attention. rs thew were hardy and easy
of cultivation IN this climate. A resolution
was then adopted lamentng the death Of
Charles Downing Oft state, Gone of the best
and brightest Eortcuturists in the United
States Mr. Downing died recently at the age
Of eighty fouI years.
J. 5 iiarrls OF La Crescent gave an tuteres-
ting account of n visit to the orchard of Mr..
Tuttle at Blraboo, the home of the Russian
apple III this country. The trees, he said, all
appeared 10 be doing excellently, and he had
no doubt hut that there were several Of the
Northwest Still, the final success in
the cultivation of these apples would
depend good deal upon location.
Mr. Sias of Rochester in his report described
what he said appear 10 be the most promising
new seedlings in the state, namely, the Brett
seedlings of Dover, Olmsted comfy These
seedlings were first exhibited at the Southern
Minnesota fair in September last and took two
first prizes; eext at the state fair at Owatonna,
where theV were entered "a the best selection
of seedlings, and took the first premium
The Proctor seedlings, which took first pre-
mium at the winter meeting of this society
two years ago, should also claim q share of
public attention Among the older seedlings
of this section of country. Mr.. SIas had found
nothing that suited him better than the RoI-
Inns Pippin The Grant Swaar was also good
apI IL FOR this country.
iir Harris said the Brett seedlings had i'm
pressed him favorably. Mr.. Tuttle of Bara-
boo Wis who took part in the discus SION
strongly recommended the Wealthy variety
regarding it as the best of American apples.
Mr. Tutsle also made report upon Russian
apples he said that sixty varieties were
shown at the Wisconsin state fair in 1oSi He
had long been of the opinion that some of the
varieties ofapples grown III the country north
cast OF Moscow were adapted tn the prairie
regions of the Northwest, and his experience
with the Russian apples thus far had con-
fTmed hIm IN that view. He believed, III fact,
that these apples would thrive even as far
north as Manitoba. Trees set in Dakota five
years ago were in good and promising condi-
ton
f. s H. Dart of Owa:onna delegate TO the
annual maeting Of the Iowa Horticultural so
eictv IN 1851, presented his report. Dir. Dartt
states that last year very disastrous to the
fruit interests in Iowa, the reports from dIrec-
tors from all sections Of the state, except the
southwestern, showing light crop of fruits of
nearly all kinds. There was quite difference
of opinion as to the cause of this devastation,
but all agreed that harder trees were a neces-
ejty, ana that to obtain long keepers Of the
best quality extensive experiments must be
carried on.
The annual report of Oliver Gibbs, Jr., sec
rotary Of the society, was then received. The
report was sent in from New Orleans. Mr..
Gibbs, after referring to some routine matters
connected with his Office, says
The wear 1887 has been IN some parts OF the
state favorable to the apple crop. We have
had no difficulty in obtaining large quantities of
excellent specimens II the Wealthy and
enough of the sorts III more general bearing to
be able To show at the world = exposition nearly
200 bushels in all / have not found a larger
quantity, nor finer specimens of apples on eK-
hibition at New Orleans in the exhibits of any
state, although some of them exceed us IN
number NJ varieties
Mr.. Gibbs reports ~ his expenses $3.50 .
and his receipts Ssh ~ J. r. Grimes, treas
Yer. then read his report fOI the year: Receipts.
81 - ~: disbursements, 81 +ia43; balance
S251 NJ The reserve fund amounts 10 SSS3. 10
Gen Jennisnn read 4 telegram received by Gov.
Hubbard from T. q Gould. who has charge OF
the state horticultural exhibit at New Orleans
to the cffec: tina; for grapes Minnesota has
been awarded three silver medals, and receives
ten prizes in all: that the only other state re-
ceiving medals is California; and that 1--WE
break Ohio on Catawbds.
Discussions occurred upon great variety
of subjects of Interest 70 horticulturlsts The
special committee on legislation reported a
resolution looking TO the appointment of a
state entOmOlogist, requesting the legislature
TO approprats 81 OUO per annum therefor.
The report was adopted.
Ofi rers for the ensuing year were elected al
follows
Prtsident-Truman NJ Smith of Minneapo-
lis
Vice Presilents-A. W Sias of Rochester, F.
G. Could Of Excelsior, NJ Cutler of Sumpter, E
5 Dart of Owatonna, and q. W. Fuller Of
IIfritn.fI