Seeing that the climate of the State of Minnesota is very severe upon
fruit trees, our readers who live in the more trying sections of the
Province will be interested to know what kinds of apples are found to
answer there. At St. Paul, Minnesota, the mean temperature for the three
Summer months is about the same as that of London, Ontario; while the
mean temperature for the three Winter months is about that of Pembroke,
in the County of Renfrew, or Three Rivers, in the Province of Quebec.
Thus it will be seen that fruit trees in Minnesota are exposed to very
severe cold in Winter, while the Summer heat is also quite considerable.
On looking at the transactions of the Minnesota State Horticultural
Society for the last year, we notice that only two apples are
recommended for general cultivation, namely, the Duchess of Oldenburg,
and Wealthy. This indicates that the climate of that State must be very
unfavorable to the apple tree. The Duchess of Oldenburg has been
cultivated in this Province for a number of years, and has borne the
severity of our Winters unharmed. The Wealthy is not as well known,
indeed it is doubtful if it has been planted in many of our orchards.
The Tetofsky is recommended for planting in limited quantities. The
reason for this limitation does not seem to be brought out in the
discussion, unless it be because one gentleman lost a number of trees of
this variety in the Winter of 1873. The St. Lawrence, Utter’s Red, and
Snow apple or Fameuse were recommended for favorable localities; and the
White Astracan and Elgin Beauty for general trial throughout the State.
So far as the White Astracan has been cultivated here, it has been
considered a fruit of poor quality, not to be grown where better sorts
will thrive. The Wealthy is a very good, medium sized fruit, in use from
December to February, which originated near St. Paul, in Minnesota, and
seems to have maintained a character for extraordinary hardiness; it is
worthy the attention of those who require a tree capable of enduring a
very low temperature. The Elgin Beauty originated in the township of
Elgin, in Wabasha county, Minnesota; it is a medium sized fruit,
streaked with red on a yellow ground, moderately juicy, sub-acid, in
season from November to March. The writer is not aware that it has been
planted in Ontario.
—————