feet long and four feet apart, i.e., a row 120 feet long, or 480 square
feet. More than $35.00 worth of ripe tomatoes were taken from these
vines, the price never more nor less than five cents per pound. If 480
square feet will produce $35.00, 43,560 square feet would produce
$3,175.
During the tomato season I was away from home when a neighbor gathered
bushels which are not counted in the above figures, and our family used
and gave away several bushels more.
Annual Report, 1915, Vice-President, Fourth Congressional District.
J. K. DIXON, NORTH ST. PAUL, MINN.
The fourth district fruit crops--with the exception of strawberries and
raspberries--were conspicuous by their absence this season of 1915.
A festive blizzard that came prancing our way the 17th of May
effectually destroyed what promised to be a bumper crop of apples and
plums. The trees were for the most part past the blossoming stage, and
the fruit had started to develop. Currants and grapes met the same
disastrous fate. Only in favored situations, adjacent to large bodies of
water, were there any apples, plums, grapes or currants to speak of.
[Illustration: Mr. J. K. Dixon, North St. Paul.]
In my orchard, at North St. Paul, we burned wet straw smudges every
second row on the outside of the orchard, allowing the wind to drift the
smoke through trees. This was done by adding the wet straw at intervals
to the burning piles in order to create a continuous dense smoke. When
daylight appeared we noticed the ground covered with a beautiful blanket
of frost, and decided two men smoking pipes would have been as effective
treatment as the smudge.
In this, however, I have since concluded we were mistaken. As the season
advanced we noticed the first three or four rows in from the smudges
gave us our only apples, whereas the further one went in the fewer were
found, until they finally disappeared entirely.
Question: If the above treatment had been given every second or third
row throughout orchard, what would the results have been?
Strawberries and raspberries proved their superior ability to withstand
the assaults of King Boreas and Jack Frost. Strawberries were in blossom
and were saved from total loss by a two or three inch blanket of wet
snow that fortunately preceded the frost. Consequently they are reported
as fair to good crop. Raspberries, owing to the abundant and regular
rainfall, are reported from all over the district as a fair crop. One
grower having one-half acre of the St. Regis everbearing red raspberry
reports having ripe berries from the last week in June to the 8th day of
October, when a big freeze-up put them out of commission. This one-half
acre produced 2,000 pints, that sold for fancy prices. Also the
everbearing strawberries are reported as making good and proving their
claim to recognition as an established institution in the fruit world.
A few of the largest growers report spraying with lime-sulphur and
arsenate of lead. However, the rainfall was too abundant at the right
time (or wrong time) to get best results.
Very little blight is reported as present the past summer, and what
little there was yielded readily to the pruning knife applied five or
six inches below infected wood, being careful to sterilize tool in
solution of corrosive sublimate. The most serious injury from blight is
caused by its attacking tender sprout growths on trunks or large
branches. The blight runs very rapidly down the tender wood, penetrating
to the cambium layer, where it causes cankers, often girdling entire
trunk and killing tree outright. This is especially true of the Virginia
crab and Wealthy apple.
Trees and plants came through last winter in A1 condition as a
consequence of a mild winter, and this fall they go into winter quarters
with abundance of moisture and well ripened wood.
Considerable nursery stock was planted last spring with excellent
results, due to plentiful supply of moisture from spring to fall.
While fruit growing in Minnesota is not so extensively engaged in as in
some reputed fruit growers' paradises we read about, I wish to state
that the South and East (to speak in the vernacular) "has nothing on
us." I have reliable information that the same freeze that cleaned us
out up here in the North did the same trick for growers at Mobile,
Alabama. Therefore, I advise members not to yield to discouragement.
Plant and care for varieties recommended in the society planting list
and emulate the society motto, "Perseverantia Vincimus."
From replies to letters sent out the following list of varieties
appears to be in favor as the most desirable to plant in this district:
Apples: Wealthy, Okabena, Duchess, Patten's Greening.
Crabs: Florence, Whitney, Lyman's Prolific.
Plums: DeSoto, Hawkeye, Wyant, Wolf.
Raspberries: King, Sunbeam, Minnetonka Ironclad.
Currants: Perfection, Prince Albert, Long Bunch Holland,
Wilder.
Gooseberries: Carrie, Houghton, Downing.
Grapes: Beta, Concord, Delaware.
Hardy Shrubs: Spirea Van Houtii, Hydrangea P.G., Snowball,
Syringa, Tartarian Honeysuckle, Lilac, High-bush Cranberry,
Barberry, Sumac, Elderberry, Golden Leaf Elder, Buckthorn for
hedges.
Hardy Perennials--Flowers: Delphinium, Campanula, Phlox,
Paeonies, Iris, Hermerocallis, Tiger Lilies.
Tender Plants: Dahlias, Gladiolus.
Annual Report, 1915, Mandan, N.D., Trial Station.
W. A. PETERSON, SUPT., MANDAN, N.D.
In the spring of 1914 a number of plums, grapes and raspberries were
received from the Minnesota Fruit-Breeding Farm. The larger part of the
plums were winter killed in 1914-15. Those that survive after a few more
winters may be considered as practically hardy. Those remaining made a
good growth in 1915, but did not bear.
The grapes lived through the winter in good shape, although they had
been covered. These are all Beta seedlings.
The raspberries Nos. 3, 7, and 8, were partly covered and partly left
exposed--all three numbers died to the ground when not protected. No. 4
was received in the spring of 1915 and made a good growth.
Strawberry No. 1017 was received in spring 1915 and bore heavily this
fall but made only a very few runners.
Extensive experiments are being carried on in plant-breeding, pomology,
vegetable gardening, arboriculture and ornamental horticulture, and in
the course of time a lot of valuable information will be gathered.
On the whole the season was backward in spring and the summer was
abnormally cool. There was sufficient rainfall for all crops.
Fruit Growing a Successful Industry in Minnesota.
A. W. RICHARDSON, FRUIT GROWER, HOWARD LAKE, MINN.
It is now about eighteen years since I conceived the idea of fruit
culture as a competency for old age, being then, as now, employed as
representative for some concern and required to travel over this state,
earning a livelihood for myself and family. The nature of my first work
on the road necessitated my attendance (a large portion of the time) at
Minnesota farmers' institute meetings, where I came in contact with
those gentlemen employed in that work, and among the number our friend
Clarence Wedge, of Albert Lea, and other personal friends, such as O. C.
Gregg, the founder of the institute work, Mr. Greely, Mr. Trow and
others. It was among these gentlemen I got my first desire for a piece
of land, and was advised by them several times to get a piece of land,
and if I could not afford to buy a large piece, to buy a small piece,
which latter course I was compelled to adopt. I became imbued with a
desire to grow fruit and was particularly interested in the subject of
horticulture, and eagerly devoured all the literature obtainable on the
subject, and listened very attentively to all discussions on the subject
at these meetings.
In 1897 I moved to Howard Lake and succeeded Mr. E. J. Cutts in the
nursery and fruit growing business. Mr. Cutts was well known to a great
many. He died just prior to my residence in Howard Lake, where I got in
my first practical experience in the fruit-growing business. After
conducting this business for about twelve months, I disposed of it and
bought a home in another part of town and at once set out about 200
apple trees and other small fruit. Gradually I acquired more land and
set out more trees, until today I have about 1,600 apple trees, about
1,000 of which are at bearing age. I made one grand mistake however, as
a great many other growers have done and are still doing, I planted too
many varieties. I used the list of tried and recommended sorts issued by
the State Horticultural Society (long before I became a member) and
planted accordingly and, like many other growers, have my quota of
Hibernals, Minnesotas, Marthas and other sorts which experience has
demonstrated are not nearly as desirable as other varieties.
I have demonstrated to my entire satisfaction that it is profitable and
perfectly proper to grow also small fruits in a young orchard. In my
second orchard, containing about 600 trees, I planted the trees 15x30
feet and later the same season set out raspberries 3x6 feet, occupying
all the space in the rows and between the rows, and for two successive
seasons I grew a third crop between the raspberries, which plan works
admirably. One mistake I made, however, was in planting a little too
close to the apple trees, requiring more hoeing around the apple trees
to keep the raspberries in subjection, which could have been obviated to
a large extent by not planting so closely. I grew raspberries about
seven years in this orchard. My returns after the second year brought me
$500.00 to $700.00 annually, and I sold enough plants to more than pay
me for all the labor expended on the orchard, to say nothing of corn,
beans, cabbage, etc., raised the first two years between the
raspberries. Now the trees are about ten years old and all bearing. I
have discontinued the cultivation and have seeded to clover, which we
usually mow and allow to lie and rot.
[Illustration: Residence of A. W. Richardson, at Howard Lake.]
I figure that outside the investment I have brought my orchard into
bearing with practically no expense, having had a revenue every year
since planting the trees, which are composed of Patten Greening,
Hibernal, Duchess, Wealthy, Peerless, Minnesota, Virginia, Okabena and
Whitney. My last orchard of 625 trees consists principally of Wealthy,
and trees are set 20x20, and I am following the same plan of growing a
crop between. The year 1915 makes four crops taken from this young
orchard, now four years old. About two more seasons will follow this
year, and then about the time for bearing I will discontinue the
planting of any crop and sow it to clover.
I plant one or two year old trees trimmed to a whip, digging a much
larger and deeper hole than is really necessary to accommodate the
roots, but I am sure this plan gives the roots a much better start than
if they are crowded into a small hole, and particularly if the ground is
hardpan or similar soil. Pinching off the buds the following year or
two, when you commence shaping your trees to your liking, is good, thus
eliminating severe pruning. I have endeavored to follow up this annual
pruning when possible, often being compelled to hire additional help for
this purpose, as the nature of my regular business keeps me from home
when I should be pruning. I am sure you will agree with me so far that
"fruit growing in Minnesota is successful."
Four years ago or more I decided that in order to receive the top price
for the products off my place I must produce a first class article, and
so to that end I have worked. I bought a gasoline power sprayer, costing
me about $300--by the way, the first one in Howard Lake, although two of
us there each bought one the same spring, and now there are three power
sprayers in our village. I have demonstrated that it is possible to get
the top price of the market in more ways than one by furnishing a first
class article. You will ask me how it is possible for me to do this and
be away from home so much. I have been ably assisted by my wife, who
sees that my general directions are carried out as I have outlined.
This year we have marketed something over 300 barrels and have received
the top market price, netting me about $500.00. I tried out a new plan
this year, selling through a reliable commission firm. I have heretofore
sold direct to the retailer with splendid results. 1913 was a bumper
year and the market flooded everywhere with poor unsprayed stuff. I sold
about 250 barrels and received an average of $3.25 per barrel, F.O.B.
Howard Lake, and in 1914 about the same amount was realized. There is
always a good demand for a good article, carefully picked and honestly
packed, discarding all bruised and scabby or wormy apples, or those
undersized or less than 2-1/2 inches in diameter.
This season I sprayed my trees three times, the first time early in
April, using what is known as a dormant spray, using commercial
lime-sulphur solution 32 degrees Baume, 20 gallons to a tank of 200
gallons of water, or four times as strong as the two subsequent
sprayings, after the blossoms fall, at which later time I use in
addition arsenate of lead, 10 pounds to a 200 gallon tank of water, and
work under 200 pound pressure--and by doing thorough work can produce
apples almost entirely free from any disease or worms. My last shipment
of apples this year was October 2nd and consisted of 196 barrels,
one-third each of Hibernals, Patten Greenings and Wealthys, which
brought top prices.
[Illustration: Mr. A. W. Richardson, Howard Lake.]
I am a firm believer in co-operative marketing and think it is the only
logical way to market any crop, but to conduct a successful marketing
organization there should be stringent rules compelling all who join an
association for marketing to spray thoroughly if nothing else, as I am
firmly convinced that you cannot grow apples and compete with other
localities without doing so, and doing so every year, whether a prospect
for a good crop exists or not. I can prove this, as I only partly
covered my entire orchard in 1913 with spraying. You could easily see
which had been sprayed and which not. Excessive rain at the vital time
prevented my completion of the work. I am convinced by experience, too,
that the dormant spray, usually neglected by most growers, is very
necessary and am sure better and healthier foliage is obtained by this
practice, and by it the scale can be controlled in a large degree.
I had eight to ten Patten's Greening trees that had been attacked by a
disease called by some "oyster scale." The trees abnormally lost their
foliage early in the season, and I had about decided they were dead
when, after a dormant spray the following spring, they entirely revived
and are now as healthy as any trees on my place.
I have practiced top-working to some extent and for the past three or
four years have been able to put down in my cellar, several bushels of
Jonathan, Grimes Golden, Delicious and other varieties. Have now about
125 Jonathan trees top-worked on Hibernals, and except for some blight
they have done splendidly.
There is no room for discussion, no room for argument in any way, why
fruit-growing in Minnesota is not a very successful business to be
engaged in. I have demonstrated, I am sure, that if I can bring an
orchard into bearing and hold down a good, fairly lucrative position at
the same time and do so with very little expense, and others can do the
some thing.
Now I am going to criticise some one and let the criticism fall where it
belongs. There has been a great injustice done the commercial fruit
grower, or those trying to grow fruit commercially, by advising, urging,
or anything else you choose to call it, the farmer or small homekeeper
to buy more fruit trees and plants than this class of individual needs
for his own use. In order to receive some returns for this surplus, he
rushes it into town and sells it to the best advantage, delivered in
sacks, soap boxes, etc., carelessly handled and bumped into town in a
lumber wagon. The merchant is loaded up with a lot of unsalable stuff
and often finds himself overloaded and barrels up some and sends it to
the commission row and expects some returns, which vary from nothing to
a very small amount. Why, last season I knew a large general merchandise
concern in a town a little west of Howard Lake that thought they had
struck a gold mine. They employed a packer or two, bought barrels,
rented a building and bought this class of stuff right and left, offered
at any old price, $1.50 per barrel to anything they could get, and sold
clear up to the Canadian line. I saw the stuff a great many times after
it reached its destination, and it was hardly fit for sale at any price.
This indiscriminate selling of nursery stock by eager salesmen and
nurserymen is doing more to hurt the commercial fruit growing industry
than any one thing. The only salvation for the grower making his living
out of the business is to produce a better article, better picked,
better packed and marketed through the proper channels. This matter just
referred to I have often discussed by the hour, and during the past
winter my views were thoroughly endorsed by prominent men in the
extension work of our state.
In conclusion will say, comparing the fruit industry in Minnesota with
that greatest of all industry, raising grain, it is so much easier (if
ordinary care be exercised) to produce a finer article, more attractive
in appearance, better packed and marketed properly, than the other
fellow does, while in growing grain this is not the case, as all the
grain is dumped into the hopper and bin, and the individuality of the
grower is forever lost. The demand for the apple has increased
wonderfully the last few years, and it is quite likely to be further
increased owing to the European demand for American apples, which for
the next fifteen or twenty years will increase by leaps and bounds,
owing to the devastating of so many of the great orchard sections in
parts of Austria and northern France. This authentic information came
through Mr. H. W. Collingwood, many years editor of the Rural New Yorker,
and according to Mr. Collingwood's idea there has been no time in the
history of the United States when the outlook for commercial orchards
was so bright. He advises the widespread planting of commercial orchards
to meet this new demand which has shown itself already in Europe and
will greatly increase after the war is over.
[Illustration: A two-acre field of Dunlap strawberries on place of A. W.
Richardson, at Howard Lake.]
Mr. Ludlow: I would like to know what you advise for that commercial
orchard, what varieties?
Mr. Richardson: Wealthys, all the time. (Applause.)
Mr. Ludlow: I would like to ask for the comparative prices you received
for the three apples you mentioned, Wealthy, Greening and Hibernal.
Mr. Richardson: The Hibernal sold for around $3.00 a barrel and the
Wealthy sold for three something. Mind you, I never sold apples at all
until this year to Minneapolis markets. I can sell all the apples I can
grow myself without any trouble if I have the proper men to pick them
and pack them at home. I had a son that was doing that until a few years
ago, and he followed my instructions and would place nothing but first
class stuff in the barrels and would sell my samples without any trouble
and get the top market price. I run across down in my cellar some of
last year's crop of Northwest Greenings, just two of them left, one of
them partially decayed. Something I never had known to happen before.
They lay in the cellar just wrapped up.
Mr. Ludlow: It wasn't embalmed?
Mr. Richardson: No, sir. Gentlemen, you need not be afraid of growing
fruit in Minnesota.
Mr. Ludlow: What peculiar method have you for keeping those apples?
Mr. Richardson: Just wrapped in paper only.
The President: What temperature do you keep in your cellar?
Mr. Richardson: 40 degrees about this time.
The President: You have a heater in your cellar?
Mr. Richardson: Yes, sir, but this is shut off from that, though the
pipes run through.
A Member: Are your trees still as far apart as they were at first?
Mr. Richardson: No, sir. I neglected to say that I sent East and got
some roots, and I was advised to set them out between. I have part of my
orchard set 15x16, but that is too close together.
A Member: If you were going to do it again would you put them 30x30?
Mr. Richardson: 20x20, that is, Wealthys, particularly. Of course, for
the Hibernals, you got to put them farther apart.
A Member: You mentioned the Delicious. What is your opinion of the
Delicious?
Mr. Richardson: My experience has been so little with them. I have about
150 Jonathan trees coming on that will be all right.
* * * * *
MARBLE PILLAR TO FAMOUS MCINTOSH TREE.--Perhaps one of the most
curious monuments in existence has recently been built in Ontario by
Canadians. The farmers have just erected a marble pillar to mark the
site on which grew a famous apple tree.
More than a century ago a settler in Canada named McIntosh, when
clearing a space in which to make a home in the wilderness, discovered
among a number of wild apple trees one which bore fruit so well that he
cultivated it and named it McIntosh Red.
The apple became famous, and seeds and cuttings were distributed to all
parts of Canada, so that now the McIntosh Red flourishes wherever apples
grow in the great dominion. In 1896 the original tree from which this
enormous family sprang was injured by fire, but it continued to bear
fruit until five years ago. Then, after 15 years, it died, and the
grateful farmers have raised a marble pillar in honor of the tree which
has done so much for the fruit growing industry of their land.
The story of this apple tree illustrates the African proverb that though
you can count the apples on one tree, you can never count the trees in
one apple.--January Popular Science Monthly.
Report of Committee on Horticultural Building.
S. P. CROSBY, CHAIRMAN, ST. PAUL.
As you know, at the last legislature there was a bill prepared and
introduced asking for an appropriation of $40,000 to build a new home
for this society. It was provided, that that home should be located on
the grounds of University Farm or upon the grounds of the State
Agricultural Society, and that was to be left to the discretion of the
executive board of this society. The bill is a very well drawn bill, and
the committee appeared before the legislature some four or five times.
We went before the committee of the senate and before the committee of
the house and senate, and as a matter of fact the result was that the
bill never came out of the committee.
The cry last year, as it is every year, was that of retrenchment and low
taxes. Now, that is all right as a general proposition, but Minnesota is
not a poor state. In the cities of course we think we have all the taxes
we ought to have, and we think they are pretty high; perhaps you
gentlemen living in the country think you have as high taxes as you
ought to have, but that the state, for instance, has over $30,000,000 in
the school fund, probably reaching up to fifty or sixty millions some
day, with other figures which can be given here, shows that Minnesota is
not a poor state. On the other hand, it shows that Minnesota is a rich
state. Certainly there is no good reason why it should not provide a
good home for this society, which has earned it and is nearly fifty
years old.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, I simply want to say one thing. Don't depend
upon the committee to do all this work. While we didn't get our bill
through last year we came away full of courage, and just as sure as
night follows the day we are going to have a new home for this society
one of these days. (Applause.) But I want it distinctly understood that
every member of this society, men and women--and I certainly include the
women because oftentimes they are the best politicians, and they know
how to talk to people and get things--when the next legislature is
elected must use his or her influence with the senators and
representatives of the various districts of the state and make an
impression upon them and get a promise out of them to vote for and
support the bill. A bill will be introduced into the next legislature,
and it will probably be this same bill, and if you don't forget this,
but simply do your duty in seeing these representatives and taking the
matter up, why there isn't very much doubt in my judgment but what we
will be successful and have our bill passed.