The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-10-15
THE MINNETONKA NURSERY co.

It's Exhibit at Mile Laos County Fair
Growers of Hardy Minnesota Fruit.
Last week the y n i n briefly REFER
red to the fruit exhibit made at the
Mile Laos county fair by Mr.. C. W.
Sampson of the Minnetonka Nursery
Co., of Excelsior, Lake Minnetonza,
Minn., but time and lack of space pre-
vented more extended notice of the
excellent display made by Mr.. Samp-
son who is we'll known to many farm
ers tributary to Princeton, for he has
been placing his nursery stock among
the farmers of this section for several
seasons.
MIR. Sampson went to great pains
and considerable expense to make a
display of his fruit at the Mile Laos
county fair, but he realized that the
display would be a fine object lesson
to farmers who are taking an interest
in the subject of fruit raising. He is
handling nursery stock that has been
propagated and grown in the State
and only about fifty miles south of
Princeton where climatic and soil con-
ditions are very similar to those in
Mile Laos and surrounding counties.
The bright, luscious looking fruit
that was displayed at the fair brought
to mind the scri ptural statement, by
their fruits ye shall know them.'' and
after examining the display of apples,
grapes, cherries, crabs, peaches, etc.,
all had to admit that the Minnetonka
Nursery Co.'s stock is equal and, in
many respects, superior to any ever
entered at a Minnesota fair. The dis
play made by Mr.. Sampson consisted
of his great apple leader, the Univer-
sity apple, and the Peerless, Hiber
nal, Patterns Greetings, the Longfield,
the Wealthy and the Duchess apples,
all grown from hardy Minnesota stock,
and the samples shown were beauties.
The University apple is quite large,
good sized apple and is absolutely
sound and a good winter apple. AS
it ripens it is given pretty rose tints
llCl tII1u CI1Cl = ctIlAA OOA OoIL1y 11eN11o
some looking apple when it is good
and ripe. Mr.. Sampson paid $500 for
the parent tree which was originated
by Mr.. c. c.. Patten of Charles City,
Iowa, and it is without a doubt the
hardest and best winter apple tree
ever introduced in Minnesota. It holds
the fruit we'll on the tree and the limbs
are large and firmly set. The tree has
never been known to blight and is
considered the best apple tree ever in
troduced in the far north. At his
nursery MIR. Sampson has tree ten
years of age from which he gathered
this year fifteen bushels of apples
which he sold for $780, The Hiber-
nal and Longield are Russian varie-
ties and are hardy and we'll adapted
to northern climes, and will not blight.
Patterns Greening is a fine fall apple
of northern origin and will stand the
climate of this section we'll. Then
there is the famous Wealthy originated
by Mr.. Peter M. Gideon, father of Min
nesota horticulture. AS Mr.. Sampson
says, "There is more goodness under
the skin of this apple than any other
apple that grows.'
A plate of Lyman's Prolific crabs
was noticeable feature of the dis
play. This variety of crab was orig
mated at Excelsior. They were fine
r,,o,i,,,oro Of !, o,,,,1oc, oo1 thic
variety thrives wonderfully we'll in
Minnesota. It does not blight and is
a prolific yielder. In the display was
a photograph Of the Lyman Prolific
tree that was planted in Excelsior in
1868.
Of grapes the varieties shown were
Campbell's Early, Brighton, Della
ware. Concord, Moore's Early and
Ionia. the latter variety being the
famous Horace Greeley grape. The
great journalist paid as a premium
$3.50 for the Ionia which was originate
ed under the Greeley competition that
was conducted by the New York Trib-
une many years ago. 1t has a flavor
that is fit for the gods. Moore's Early
is a good grape and ripens at least
two weeks ahead Of the average va
riety of grape.
One of the great leaders of the
Minnetonka Nursery Co., is the IA
nous Compass cherry. The Compass
Cherry, originated by H. Knudson, Of
Springfield. Minn., and introduced by
Minnetonka Nursery, is proving itself
to be a valuable addition to our hardy
fruits. The tree is absolutely hardy
in this climate and bears fruit the next
year after setting out. Fruit large,
nearly one inch in diameter. dark red,
fine flavor and quality and most ex-
cellent for canning and preserving.
The tree is very vigorous grower