The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-06
THEORIES TOO
full OF PRUNES
PROF. GREEN SAYS ORCHARDISTs
PRUNE' TOO MUCH.

Z : ! ! -.
PRUNE TOO MUCH.
He Tells State Horticulturists That Too
Frequent Cutting Kills More Trees
Than Any Other Agency-An Fruit
Raisers Are Predicting a Big Yield
Next Year.
Professor S. B. Green of St. Anthony
Park provided the feature of today's
session Of the Minnesota State Horti-
cultural society when he declared that
more apple trees in Minnesota and Iowa
die from too frequent pruning than from
any, other cause. His statement, fol-
lowing as it did a recommendation for
more pruning, created profound sur
prise.
tWe want to get away from Massa-
chusetts and New England plans of
apple-raising," he said. The condi-
lions in Minnesota and Iowa demand
that we evolve our own horticulture,
and until we break away from these
eastern traditions and influences our
advancement will not be up to par.
Here we have more sunlight and less
shelter and do not need so much prun-
ing" .s
Blight, that foe that has stolen hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars from Min
nesota apple-raisers, was considered in
today's session. =, It was declared by
Dewain Cook of LETTERS and G. W. Spick
erman Of Excelsior, that the progress
Of blight could be checked. Mr.. Cook
recommended thinning, out Of orchards
fected limbs and trunks. Blight, Mr..
Cook said, bore the same relation to
apple trees that yellow fever does to
humans, and that the conditions under
which the germs Of blight thrive are
the same that give existence to yellow
fever food, heat and moisture. Bees
and insects, he declared, are the car
riers of the germs. Mr.. Cook said that
insects will not frequent an orchard
which has been opened for free circula-
| away the carriers of the. plague the
removal Of dollhouse conditions in or
chards will serve to drive out the blight
itself.
Mr.. Spokesman suggests the opening
of the bark on affected trees for the
free circulation of fresh air. He illus
trates his plan of combating the blight
! with limbs from his own trees, and his
remedy met with approval. .....
Another subject Of great interest to
| horticulturists and the state itself was
He advanced the opinion that peaches
cannot be raised in Minnesota with
profit from a commercial standpoint
Lack Of shelter, he said, was the prin
cipal difficulty. He urged, however
that farmers adopt peach trees to raise
fruit for their own table, stating that
he had had marked success in his ex
periments.
Big Fruit Crop. Predicted. ~
! If the predictions Of the vice presi
| dents who reported to the society to
day are upborne, Minnesota will rais'
/: a bumper fruit crop next year. Condi
lions, according to almost unanimou
i reports from. the various districts rep
fore in the history of the state. Ever
| cherries and strawberries, which wer
almost total failure this year, are ex
4 pected to yield heavy crops in 1906.
i The society attacked grocers yester
day for alleged com ination in restrain
of trade. It was charged on the foo
Of the convention that the grocers O.
the larger cities have been back of thu
ordinances to. license peddling prod
farmers and gardeners. In. resolution
condemning such combinations as lille
gal, the people of the state are asked t.
support the amendment adopted by tn
last legislature permitting farmers an,
gardeners to peddle their produce in tn,
cities without paying prohibitiv
license. g. 49,. I'LL. -. -. s..sa
!, The reports of the secretary an
treasurer were received today. Bot
and that it is in the best financial con
dition. President Clarence Wedge i
still detained at his home in Alber
Lea by illness and Professor Green pre-
sided today. It is expected that MI
Wedge will be present tomorrow. Ih
meeting was opened this morning by a
organs number by Miss Lewis, tn
church organist. It was announced tc
day that the pretty floral decoration
/. Minnesota State Reformatory of 81
Cloud. Miss Stager brought and al
ranged the exhibit. sL 4
This afternoon the reports of the con
mittees Of fruit and ornamental list
reported. Their recommendations we1
the same as made last year.
* Woman's Auxiliary Meets.
The Woman s Auxiliary met with til
: horticulturalists in joint session at
e pm. The address. of the president, Mis-
: Emma V. White indicated growing IL
r terest Of the women in horticultural pu
l suits. Reports were made and interes
2 ing addresses by women delivered.
/ One OF the most entertaining and il
9 structive subjects of the convention wi
come tomorrow morning at $3.50 am.
= will be the calendar program for Ma
g and June. In the afternoon the r.
y port Of Seeding fruits will be given, b
: Wyman Elliot, chairman Of the com1ni
e tee., The report on awards for seedlin
1 apples will follow. s-
BEE KEEPERS MEET