Trees, Fruits and Flowers of Minnesota Part 22

Mr. Rasmussen: I didn't mean in putting it on in that way, but where you use the regular spray system. We watered that way about seven years in the hottest suns.h.i.+ne without any difficulty, and I wondered if you ever put in a system and sprayed that way, as I think that is the only way to put water on.

Mr. Kellogg: If you wait to spray after sundown it will be all right; the sun mustn't s.h.i.+ne on the plants.

Mr. Richardson: Mr. Yankee once said in this society if one man said anything another man would contradict it. So pay your money and take your choice. I sprinkle my strawberries in the hot sun, and I never had any damage done to the plants. His experience is different. Ours is a heavy clay loam.

Mr. Kellogg: Tell the gentlemen about the peat soil, you had some experience with peat soil.

Mr. Richardson: No, I never did. It wasn't peat, it was a heavy black clay and I had the best kind of strawberries, they came right through a tremendous drouth without any water at all.

Mr. Kellogg: What did you use?

Mr. Richardson: I used a common garden hoe.

Mr. Willis: I heard some one talking about the grub worm. I read of somebody using fifty pounds of lime to the acre, slaked lime, and 100 pounds of sulphur to the acre in a strawberry bed, and he killed the insects.

Mr. Kellogg: I think that wouldn't kill the grub; he has a stomach that will stand most anything. The only thing I know is to cut his head off.

(Laughter.)

Mr. Willis: Would it improve the plants, fertilize the plants, this lime?

Mr. Kellogg: Lime and sulphur is all right, and the more lime you put on the better--if you don't get too much. (Laughter.)

Mr. Sauter: I am growing the Minnesota No. 3, and also the No. 1017 as an everbearer. Is there any kind better than those two?

Mr. Kellogg: I don't believe there is anything yet that has been offered or brought out that I have examined thoroughly that is any better than June variety No. 3, as grown by Haralson, and the No. 1017 of the everbearers. He had a number of everbearers that bore too much. There was No. 107 and No. 108, I think, that I tried at Lake Mills, which bore themselves to death in spite of everything I could do.

Mr. Simmons: The question has come up two or three times in regard to peat soil for growing strawberries. Peat soil will grow strawberry plants first cla.s.s, but the fruit is generally lacking. That is my experience. I grew some on peat soil for two or three seasons, and the plants grew prolific, but I didn't get any fruit.

Mr. Ebler: I would like to ask Mr. Kellogg what treatment he would advise for a strawberry bed that through neglect has matted completely over, in which the rows have disappeared.

Mr. Kellogg: Plow out paths and rake out the plants and throw them away and work the bed over to rows about two feet wide.

President Cashman: I see you all appreciate expert advice. We have Mr.

Kellogg well nigh tired.

Mr. Kellogg: Oh, no; I can stand it all day.

Mr. Cashman: I am sure you all agree that it is a great privilege to listen to Mr. Kellogg on this subject. If you will follow his advice very closely it will save you a great many dollars, even to those who don't grow more than an ordinary family strawberry bed. He has had forty or fifty years of experience, and he has paid large sums of money for that experience and now turns it over to you free of charge, and I hope you will all profit by it.

Mr. Kellogg: I have grown probably 300 different varieties of strawberries, and the more kinds I grow the less money I make.

(Laughter.)

Mr. Wedge: I would like to ask Mr. Kellogg and I think we would all be interested in knowing when he began growing strawberries?

Mr. Kellogg: Well, I don't hardly know. I didn't go into the business until 1852, but I commenced picking strawberries in 1835, and that was where the Indians had planted them. My father commenced growing strawberries when I was a boy, but when I got to be a man I went at it myself in 1852. (Applause.)

_IN MEMORIAM--Mrs. Melissa J. Harris_

Pa.s.sed January 29, 1916.

Mrs. Melissa J. Harris, widow of the late John S. Harris, one of the charter members of our society and rightly called the G.o.dfather of the society, pa.s.sed to her reward on January 29 last, at the age of eighty-five years. Since the death of her husband, which occurred in March, 1901, Mrs. Harris has made her home with some one of her four surviving children, all of whom live in the southeastern part of the state, not far from La Crescent, where Mr. and Mrs. Harris resided from 1856 up to the time of Mr. Harris' death, some forty-five years.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mrs. Melissa J. Harris.]

Many of the older members of this society have enjoyed the hospitality of this kindly home, among them the writer, who pa.s.sed a very pleasant day there, looking over the experimental orchards of Mr. Harris, some twenty years ago. No member of our society surpa.s.sed Mr. Harris in his zeal for its welfare, and he was ready to sacrifice anything apparently to advance its interests. If the card index of the reports of this society was examined it would be found that no member has begun to do the service for the society in the way of contributions to its program, reports on seedling fruits, experimental work, etc., that was done by him. His pa.s.sing left a real void in the life of the a.s.sociation which has never really been filled. A splendid life size photo of Mr. Harris adorns the walls of this office; a reproduction from this in reduced size is opposite page 161, Vol. 1901 of our annual reports.

The funeral services of Mrs. Harris were conducted in the Presbyterian church at La Crescent, the same building in which services were held for her husband, at which there were present from our society as representatives Mr. J.M. Underwood, the late Wyman Elliot, and the writer. Her body was laid to rest beside that of her husband in Prospect Hill Cemetery at La Crescent.

Mrs. Harris is survived by four children, ten grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Frank I. Harris, one of the two sons, is well known to our members.h.i.+p who attend the annual meetings or the state fair; another son, Eugene E., who is also a life member (Mr. Harris saw to it that both of his sons were made life members during his life time) has occasionally been with us. Mr. D.C. Webster, of La Crescent, at present in charge of one of the society trial stations, is a grandson of Mrs.

Harris. Exhibitors at our meetings and at the state fair are all well acquainted with this valuable member of our organization.--Secy.

EAT MINNESOTA APPLES.

Contributed monthly by R. S. MACKINTOSH, Horticulturist, Extension Division, University Farm, St. Paul.

FRUIT NOTES.

Early spring is the best time to prune apple trees. More and more attention is being given to the pruning of young and old trees in order that they may be able to support large loads of fruit. Yet too many trees have been neglected and now look like brush heaps instead of fruit trees.

Neglected trees should have all dead and interlocking branches removed this year. Next year a few more needless branches should be taken out and some of the others shortened. After this a little attention each year will keep the tree in good form.

Each year the Agricultural Extension Division of the University of Minnesota arranges for pruning and spraying demonstrations in different orchards of the state. Communities wis.h.i.+ng this kind of help, should at once send in pet.i.tions signed by fifteen or more persons interested in fruit growing. Send applications to Director, Agricultural Extension Division, University Farm, St. Paul.

Pruning is a good subject for farmers' clubs to take up in March and April.

Look out for rabbit injury this spring. Apple trees cost too much

GARDEN HELPS

Conducted by Minnesota Garden Flower Society

Edited by MRS. E. W. GOULD, 2644 Humboldt Avenue So.

Minneapolis.

_Cypripedia_, by Miss Clara Leavitt.

The showy lady's slipper (C. hirsutum) is found in swamps and rich meadows. Old settlers tell of gathering the pink and white "moccasin flower" by the bushel, to decorate for some special occasion. Today we are trying to s.h.i.+eld a few in their last hiding places. The draining of swamps and cutting of meadows has had much to do with their disappearance. The picking of the leafy stem by the ruthless "flower lover" cripples the plant for a season or more and frequently kills it outright. Attempts to transfer it to the home garden have succeeded for a year or so but rarely longer, perhaps because its native habitat is very difficult to duplicate.