The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-01

The apple, the most highly priced and
useful fruit of the temperate zone, has
had a somewhat checkered history in
Minnesota and the Dakotas. Its plant
ing was entered into with considerable
zeal and earnestness by the older set
tiers, who had little experience or re-
liable guide Of any kind, for a climate
so different from any heretofore set
tied on the continent, of necessity made
many failures. It would perhaps be
more exact to say that they made no
real success. They learned a great deal
about what could not be done in this
climate, learned it we'll and faithfully,
made the results of their experiments
50 generally known, that there should
be no further excuse for anyone of tho
present day going over the same work,
and arriving in that expensive way at
a conclusion that to a reasonable mind
Of general observation would seem al
most inevitable at the very start: T..
The result and sum of the early ex-
perience in orcharding in minnesota
and Dakota is that varieties and meth
dds must be used that are adapted to
the peculiar conditions Of the soil, the
altitude, the temperature and the air.
And that the only successful varieties
|
close at home or in conditions closely
approaching those found in our own
state, and that the methods that have
succeeded, and will succeed, are those
that have been worked out by our own
people, or learned from others living in
| like conditions.
These are the basic principles Of sue
cess not only in apple growing in Min
nesota and Dakota, but practically in
all fruit-growing everywhere, and the
greatest losses which our people are hay
ing today are resulting form a failure
to fully comprehend and work upon the
basis of these broad common sense prin.
ciples.
1t was not until about the year 1892
that orcharding began to be recognized
as a profitable branch of husbandry
in Minnesota and the Dakotas. And II
that time there were really but few and
scattering instances of men whose at
tempts in this direction were generally
recognized as a full success, and these
were almost altogether located in the
southeastern corner Of the state of Min
, nesota. Within the past decade sue
, cessful orcharding in Minnesota has
progressed northwardat least one degree
Of latitude, and at the present time
I there is sufficient knowledge of the ele
\
) make it morally certain that anothe
decade will see the apple preempt still
( another degree northward.
These statements are not to be take1
I as applying to all soils and situation
! within the boundaries mentioned. TIL
I apple may be grown in "a small way
{ and with some especial care, on almos
: every quarter section Of good farmin
I land anywhere in the state, but, ik
all other crops, there are soils and sitr
) atoms that are especially suited to tn
I health and vigor of the orchard ]
! good clay soil, we'll drained, with
- northern exposure and an elevatio
- somewhat above the surrounding coul
: try, and, if in the western prairie r.
{ gion, under some reasonable windbrea]
I apple. And in such situations tt
: writer would today feel perfectly sal
I in planting commercial orchard i;
I any point with good railroad faciliti
I anywhere up to the latitude of Dulut
} or even further north. Indeed, the So
I cial care and attention which the O
{ chard will need the further north v
go will receive ample compensation
the nearer and better markets and be
{ ter prices that will become availabl
! That the limit of possible apple gro1
I ing is not found at the northern boun
5 airy of our state is amply proved
I the fact that number of hare
I experimentaGsts who are gro
=! ing a considerable quantity Of fruit
- StonewaH, nearly hundred miles nor
:. of our line, made a considerable she
!, at the Manitoba fairs ten years az
\ And A. P. Stevenson of Nelson, fe
N miles north of the northern bounda
~ Of North Dak ota, reports this year
crop of fifty barrels from his Manito1
II orchard. IF so much has been acco
= plished in conditions still more diffic,
than those in our own state, what /