Part 18

Judging from the reports of my correspondents throughout the country, the "freeze" in May was responsible for a rather complete absence of local fruit the past season. Sheltered orchards and those on the south side of any lake bore a small crop. Of apples, the Wealthy and Malinda are mentioned as bearing fairly well. Plums were entirely a failure, cherries are not raised to any extent, grapes and small fruits were not enough to supply the market as a whole. Raspberry and strawberry growing seems to be on the decline, owing to the prevalence of insect pests which do _not_ receive attention to keep them in check. The importance of this is all the more apparent, because with the shorter distances of this district being the rule, the danger from rapid spread is more pronounced.

The growing conditions of the season have been of the best, and all stock goes into the winter in excellent shape with a good amount of soil moisture and a promise for better conditions next season.

Several market reports have been received which give valuable information. Prices of fruit, vegetables and floral stock have been low in almost all cases. The public demand has been rather below normal, although it has been steady and fair in volume. There seems to be a good deal of complaint about the care of the railroads, etc., with fruit and perishable products, but, on the other hand, a good deal of local produce is not put up in good shape. The uniformly good packing of western fruit reveals the cause of its popularity on the local markets. Certain kinds of fruit almost glutted the market this season, notably Florida grape fruit, western box apples and peaches. I quote one market statement as very pertinent:

If Minnesota apple growers would gather their apples before they are too ripe, carefully grade and pack uniformly through the barrel, thus making it possible for the wholesaler to ship out on orders, they would undoubtedly realize more for their product than to market them themselves in the usual manner in which apples are marketed.

Ornamental horticulture in my district is making rapid progress. Large lots of nursery stock are yearly put in with excellent results. The influence and interest of the "Garden Flower Society" and of these horticultural meetings is nowhere more felt than in Hennepin County. The gardens of the Minneapolis park board, in Loring Park, at Lyndale Farmstead, and near the Parade and Armory, give the horticultural public much valuable information. Even the wild flower garden in Glenwood Park is yearly receiving an increasing number of visitors. The increasing use of perennials is creating a new gardening enthusiasm. The perennial exhibit at the summer meeting of the Horticultural Society was worthy of much study. Careful use of hardy evergreens is increasing also, adding value especially to our winter landscapes. This season has been very favorable to gardening work and steady has been the progress made.

Greater care with insect pests, and better methods of preparing fruit for market seem to be the two greatest needs of the horticulturists of the Fifth District.

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APPLE PRODUCTION AND PRICES.--According to the best authority available, the apple crop in the United States for 1915 promises to be about 22,500,000 barrels, says The Niagara County, New York, Farm Bureau News. This will be the lightest crop in several years, the 1910 crop being the next lightest, when about 24,000,000 barrels were produced. In comparison, the 1914 crop was about 45,000,000 barrels and the 1913 crop about 30,000,000 barrels.

The above refers to the commercial crop that is marketed in closed packages, and should not be confounded with the recent estimate of the United States Department of Agriculture, which is understood to refer to the total production of apples, including those used for cider and shipped to the market in bulk.

Annual Report, 1915, Vice-President, Sixth Congressional District.

E. W. MAYMAN, SAUK RAPIDS.

[Illustration: Residence of E. W. Mayman, at Sauk Rapids, Minn.]

This district comprises quite a large area, and a large amount of fruit of various kinds is raised. Besides the reports received, I visited a good many places where fruit is being raised and intended visiting more except for unfavorable weather. From all sources the reports were that all fruit trees, vines and other plants came through the previous winter in good condition, and that all fruit trees budded and blossomed earlier than usual. April being such a warm month caused this condition--and indications were for a record-breaking crop. But this was all changed after the severe freeze of May 17th, which destroyed nearly all blossoms of apple and plum and what promise there was of cherry and grape. The frost again on June the 8th did great damage to raspberries and strawberries, currants and gooseberries. From all reports received and from my own observation at my place I can sum up briefly as follows:

Apples not more than five per cent. of crop; crab apples, no crop; plums, from ten to fifteen per cent. of a crop; cherries, very few planted except the Compass and crop very light; grapes, not very extensively raised, Collegeville having the largest collection so far as I know, and at that place while the new growth had been frozen off still a second growth of new wood was formed and gave a light crop of fruit.

Blackberries: No crop reported.

Raspberries: There is in this immediate vicinity upwards of twenty acres or more planted of several varieties, but the crop was very light, and from other places the reports received were the same.

Strawberries: There is also quite a large acreage planted in this vicinity, but the crop the past season was very poor, except for the everbearing variety planted for experimental purposes. This variety did well and continued to fruit to November 1st.

Currants and gooseberries: Reports gave no crop to speak of, and at my place and in this vicinity while there is quite a large planting there was no fruit. This, of course, was owing to the frost as before stated.

Very little nursery stock has been planted except in small quantities here and there, yet there is great interest taken in fruit raising.

In regard to blight, none to speak of according to reports, and everything indicates a good healthy growth.

As to spraying there seems to be little done along that line, although some orchards have been sprayed.

All trees and shrubs and perennial plants planted the past season, as well as those previously planted, made an exceptionally good growth, owing, I think, to the cool, moist spring and continued cool summer. And, all wood maturing early, everything, I think, has gone into winter quarters in very good condition, and other things being favorable we may expect a good crop of everything next season.

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The following poisoned wash has proved highly satisfactory in the West and promises to be one of the most popular methods of protecting trees from rabbits:

_Poisoned Tree Wash._--Dissolve one ounce of strychnine sulphate in three quarts of boiling water and add one-half pint of laundry starch, previously dissolved in one pint of cold water. Boil this mixture until it becomes a clear paste. Add one ounce of glycerin and stir thoroughly. When sufficiently cool, apply to the trunks of trees with a paint brush. Rabbits that gnaw the bark will be killed before the tree is injured.

Annual Report, 1915, Vice-President, Ninth Congressional District.

MRS. H. E. WELD, MOORHEAD.

The fruit crop in general throughout this district was not very good. The spring was late and cold with a heavy frost in June. Where the fruit trees were protected by a natural windbreak, we find the best conditions. Wilkin, Becker, Ottertail counties' reports indicate that the apple crop was small, but the fruit was of good quality.

[Illustration: Residence of Louie Wentzel, Crookston, life member and vice-president in 1914]

The varieties that are grown in this district in order of their importance and hardiness are the following: Hibernal, Duchess, Okabena, Patten's Greening and Wealthy. The hardier varieties of crabs are growing here. The Transcendent is the most popular crab. The Hyslop, Florence and Whitney are also grown.

But very little blight is reported in this district.

In localities where the trees have the protection of a windbreak there was a small crop of plums. The DeSoto, Forest Garden and Hansen hybrids are giving very good results. Even the wild plums were few, as the blossoms were hurt by frost.

Where there was windbreak protection the Compass cherry tree looks healthy and has given a fair crop.

Grapes have not been very generally planted. The Beta is the hardiest variety. The Concord does well where properly planted and cared for.

Raspberry bushes made a good growth and look healthy; although damaged by frost there was a fair crop.

Strawberries yielded fairly well where they were given attention. The Senator Dunlap, Warfield and everbearing plants should be more generally grown.

Gooseberries and currants were just fair in some localities, in others the late frost destroyed all prospects of small fruits. The Houghton and Downing gooseberries, Red Dutch and White Grape currants are some of the varieties planted.

In Ottertail, Wilkin and Beltrami counties a good deal of nursery stock has been planted and with very good success.

Very little has been done in the way of spraying orchards, as trees are young.

All fruits are going into winter in good condition, with fair amount of moisture in the ground and trees full of fruit buds.

The hardy ornamental shrubs, honeysuckle, lilac, mock-orange and spirea Van Houttii can be grown here. Hardy perennial flowers that do well are peony, phlox, golden glow and bleeding heart. This northern section of the state is the land for the hardy perennials. Nowhere else do we get such beautiful colorings and bloom.

Annual Report, 1915, Madison Trial Station.

M. SOHOLT, SUPT.

This season has been very good. We have had plenty of rain, so that all nursery stock set out this last spring has made a good growth.

The first part of May a hard frost did quite a good deal of damage to small stock just planted or lined out in the nursery. This frost also damaged the blossoms on the fruit trees. The plum trees happened to be in full bloom when this frost came, so that froze them entirely, and so we did not get any plums to speak of. We also had a light crop of apples, especially of the early varieties. The Northwestern and Patten's Greening bore a good crop.

The grapes also froze. I expected to get some fruit off those grape seedlings I received from the State Fruit-Breeding Farm three years ago, but they went with the rest of it.

The plum trees I received this and two years ago are all doing well. They did not freeze back any when we had that hard frost; so far they seem to be hardy for this location.

Had a medium crop of raspberries, also a light crop of currants and gooseberries. We had a good crop of strawberries. Seedling strawberry No. 3 is doing very well. Everbearing strawberries are doing nicely. We had a nice fall and plenty of rain, so that trees and shrubbery went into winter quarters in good condition.

Growing Beans and Sweet Corn.

P. B. MARIEN, ST. PAUL.

Since it is one thing to grow beans and sweet corn and another to make money on them, I think from a market gardener's point of view my heading should have been "growing beans and sweet corn at a profit."

I will talk of beans first, because while the two are planted at about the same time, beans make their appearance on the market long before sweet corn.

Beans have a nitrogen gathering power and are therefore a soil-improving crop. They are to the gardener what clover is to the farmer. For early beans we have found that sandy soil well fertilized is by far the best. If possible it should be sloping toward the south, although we have had good success on level land well drained. One should have the best seed possible, and if you get hold of a good strain of seed that produces nice, velvety beans earlier than your neighbor, save as much of that seed as you can. Of course now that the price of seed is $10.00 to $14.00 a bushel one cannot be too particular.

[Illustration: P. B. Marien, St. Paul.]

Too much stress cannot be laid on the fact that to make money on beans one must have them on the market within a week after the first ones make their appearance. To do this one must plant them at the right time. The practical gardener knows that as he sits near the stove with the ground still frozen and a cold March wind blowing he cannot say "I will plant my beans on April 15 or on April 20." It is impossible to set a date for planting. After the ground has been plowed and well tilled he must wait until it is well warmed. Sometimes it pays to take a chance, but we always wait until the buds appear on the white oak trees. However there is nothing infallible about this rule, but it is the one we generally follow.

As to kinds we have two wax beans which we have planted for many years: the Davis, which does well in wet weather, and the Wardwell Kidney, which does well in dry weather. Every variety of green beans we have ever grown has done well.

Rows three feet apart, with the hills about six inches apart, three or four seed in a hill, might take up too much room on a small scale, but where one uses horses to cultivate, I think it is about right.

Beans should be cultivated at least two or three times a week, and they should be hoed three times during the season. Never cultivate your beans while the dew is on, as it has a tendency to rust them.

While St. Paul has not offered a very good market for medium and late string beans in the last few years, it is a good plan to have a patch come in about every ten days. Because you happen to get from $2.50 to $3.50 a bushel for your first beans this year, do not resolve to put the whole farm into beans next year, for they might come three or four days later than your neighbor's, and your profits might be like ours were one day last summer. I came to market with forty-eight bushels of beans. They cost twenty cents for picking. I sold thirty-two bushels at thirty cents and offered the remaining sixteen bushels at twenty cents, but found no sale for them. I brought them back home and to my surprise found two extra bushels, making eighteen instead of sixteen bushels. I concluded that someone had despaired of selling them and perhaps had poor success in trying to give them away and so forced them on me. However we consider we did well on our beans, as the first two pickings brought from $2.00 to $3.50 per bushel.

Now a few words about sweet corn. Along about the 6th to the 12th of July the truck gardener should load his first sweet corn. Sweet corn is of American origin, having been developed from field corn, or maize. No large vegetable is so generally grown throughout the country, the markets of the cities taking large quantities, and immense areas being grown for canning purposes.

Seed that fails entirely is not often found, but when one has a good strain that produces early corn it is best to save some.

We generally have sweet corn to sell every day from about the middle of July until the first frost. To do this we plant every ten days from about the 20th of April to the 20th of June. Our early variety is the Peep-O'Day, which is planted about the same time as the early beans. We also plant the Golden Bantam at this time. This is followed by Red Cob Cory, Pocahontas and some more Bantam. Then about May 15th to 20th we plant early and late Evergreen, Bantam and Country Gentleman.

[Illustration: A load of vegetables at Marien's ready for market.]

Soil well adapted to common field corn will produce good sweet corn, thriving best on well fertilized land. Sandy soil is best for the early varieties.

Sweet corn is often grown in drills, but we prefer the hills three feet apart, as it is easier to get an even stand, and cultivating both ways will push the crop. It should be cultivated shallow and never deep enough to hurt the roots. It is well to hoe it once.

Sweet corn is one of the few vegetables which is quite free from serious injury from either insects or diseases.

Sweet corn may be divided into three classes: early, medium and late. It is very important that the various kinds come in as early as possible, as a few days make a lot of difference in price.

So you see that to make a profit on beans and sweet corn, four things are needed: good seed, planting at the right time, in the right kind of soil, and plenty of elbow grease--or hard work.

A member: How far apart do you plant your beans in the row?

Mr. Marien: The rows three feet apart and the hills six inches, putting three or four seeds in a hill.

A Member: Don't you recommend testing your seeds before you plant them?

Mr. Marien: Hardly the bean seeds. I don't remember of ever having found any poor bean seeds.

A Member: I mean seeds generally, corn, etc.?

Mr. Marien: Yes, sir, we do; we always test our seed.

Mr. Goudy: What is your method of harvesting your beans?

Mr. Marien: Well, we generally employ pickers, boys and girls, and we pay them about twenty-five cents a bushel when they are above a dollar and a quarter, and then we keep going down; as the price goes down we go down too; but we have paid as much as thirty cents when the price of beans was high and it is important to get many on the market the next day.

[Illustration: Harvesting the hay crop at Marien's.]

Mr. Anderson: What are your gross receipts per acre for beans?

Mr. Marien: That is a hard question to answer, as sometimes it is very poor for the medium and late beans, and sometimes there aren't any receipts at all. (Laughter.) But the early beans sometimes go as high as $250.00 an acre.

Mr. Anderson: How late can you plant them and be sure of a crop?

Mr. Marien: We have planted them as late as the 15th of June.

A Member: You mentioned Davis as your first variety. What is the second one?

Mr. Marien: The Wardwell Kidney. We always plant the two varieties at the same time because if we strike a wet season then the Davis does well, and the Wardwell won't do as well in wet weather but will do better in dry weather.

Mrs. Glenzke: Will you tell me the color of your beans? Are they golden wax?

Mr. Marien: Yes, some golden wax and some green string beans. We haven't as good a market for the green ones.

Mrs. Glenzke: Have they a string on the back?

Mr. Marien: Some have and some have not. There is the Bountiful, or the Thousand to One; that is a small green string bean that hasn't any string. But they are very hard to pick; so we don't raise many of them.

Mrs. Glenzke: Have you ever tried Golden Pod?

Mr. Marien: I think that is a wax bean?

Mrs. Glenzke: Yes.

Mr. Marien: Oh, we don't like them, at least not on the St. Paul market, because they are hard to pick. I don't know how it is in the Minneapolis market.

A Member: What is the best of the green kind?

Mr. Marien: We find that the Bountiful is a very good bean; and then there is also the Red Valentine.

A Member: Did you ever grow any Crusset Wax?

Mr. Marien: No, sir, I have not. Of course, there are some kinds that are just the same, but they go under different names in different places. Different catalogs will catalog the same seeds in a different way.

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BEWARE BLIGHT CURES.--Almost every year orchardists are persuaded to try some new, so-called "blight cure" or preventative, only to find later that they have wasted time and money in the experiment. Government regulations regarding fake remedies of this character are more strict than formerly, but there are still some agents trying to dupe the public into buying their wares.

Blight, which is often referred to as apple blight, fire blight, or pear blight, is caused by bacteria which live in the sap of the tree, and the principle followed by the blight-doctor is to introduce something into the sap which will prevent the working of the bacteria. The remedies are applied in various ways. Sometimes the trunk is painted with a mixture of some kind, or holes are bored into the trunk and these filled with a powder. The orchardist is sometimes furnished with a box of nails as the first "course" and instructed to drive these into the roots of the trees.

It is evident that anything introduced into the sap that is strong enough to kill the bacteria living there will likewise damage the cell tissue of the tree, and result in more harm than benefit. One powder that has been brought to the attention of the Experiment Station, sells for $3.00 per pound, and is administered in teaspoonful "doses." Such a preparation as this is probably harmless, but is a waste of time and money. It would have no effect on the tree or the blight.

Some of the agents not only claim that their remedies will cure blight, but, due to ignorance or other causes, they also claim that trees treated will be immune from attacks of certain insects.

Orchardists may rest assured that up to the present time, no real preventative or cure has been found for blight, and that the only way it can be controlled is by cutting it out.--Colorado Agricultural College.

IN MEMORIAM--MRS. E. CROSS.

Mrs. Erasmus Cross, of Sauk Rapids, and a member of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society since 1888 (27 years), passed away at that place on Tuesday, December 28th. On December 16th Mrs. Cross sustained a painful injury by falling on the floor and breaking her hip. Owing to her advanced age, eighty-two years, the limb could not be set without the use of chloroform, which could not be given on account of weakness of the heart. Death finally released her from her suffering.

[Illustration: The late Mrs. E. Cross, daughter and grandaughters.]

Mrs. Jane Cross was always very enthusiastic about the Horticultural Society and the good it was doing, not only for this but other states. The ills of her age had prevented her from attending the meetings these late years, though she often did so in earlier years, but she always sent her fee through the writer, and eagerly awaited her return from the meeting to hear of its stimulating success. Mr. Cross died about six years ago. Two sons, James, of St. Paul, and Robert, of Sauk Rapids, and two daughters, Mrs. Annie Nicholson, of Hamline, and Mrs. Emma Sovereign, of Sauk Rapids, mourn her loss. Our society has lost a most loyal friend.--Mrs. Jennie Stager, Sauk Rapids.

GARDEN HELPS

Conducted by Minnesota Garden Flower Society