Trees, Fruits and Flowers of Minnesota, 1916 | Page 9

Farm. This sort is a
very vigorous grower; some canes grew over six feet high. It fruited
this year; it is very prolific; the fruit is very large and of good quality. It
would be quite satisfactory if it were a little hardier. Not being
protected more than half of the plants were lost last winter.
But the everbearing strawberry No. 1017 received from the
Fruit-Breeding Farm is a complete success. They were properly planted
and well taken care of. All flowers were removed up to July 10th and
then left alone. In early August the first berries were picked, and we
kept right on picking till the frost killed the fruit stalks. The growing of
this strawberry will be continued. A new bed will be planted next
spring with young plants that were not allowed to bear last season. The
fruit was all that could be desired, fine, large and of very good quality.
It seems to be of greater advantage to grow the everbearing than the
June-bearing sorts. The everbearing planted in spring will grow a large

crop in fall and bear again in June next year. From the first we get two
crops in fifteen months, from the second two crops in three years. And
to fruit any sort oftener than two seasons is not considered very
profitable.
Most all trees of apples, pears, plums, evergreens and grafts which
were planted last spring, have done very well, and we don't know of
any that failed to grow. The hybrid plums received last spring are all
alive. The same may be said of the 50 Norway pine obtained from the
Minnesota State Forester, W. F. Cox, not one failing to grow. If
evergreens are handled right in transplanting they are just as sure to
grow as any other trees. This year was especially favorable for
transplanting on account of the many rains and cool weather.
This, too, was the kind of weather which pleased our vegetable
gardener. He found it scarcely ever necessary throughout the season to
apply water to the growing plants for their best development. All grew
fine and large. Cabbage heads were grown that weighed thirty-five
pounds; carrots, onions, beets, lettuce and in fact all the different
varieties were first-class. Yet there was something that did not please
the gardener nor ourselves, namely, the tomatoes did not get ripe. We
had a few early kinds all right, but the bulk, the large, fine varieties,
were hanging on the vines still green when the first heavy frost touched
them. It was too cool for them to ripen. The same may be said of the
melons. Not once did we have melons at table this year. They were too
poor to be served.
Our floral plantings were a great success. The many artistic foliage
designs developed wonderfully and were the admiration of all visitors.
Our peonies were a mass of exceedingly beautiful flowers, filling the
air with fragrance as of roses. We are not surprised that these flowers
have gained so much popularity of late, for their great beauty and ease
of culture recommend them to all lovers of flowers. The dahlias, too,
were very excellent; in fact, we never saw them better. They are quite
ornamental in flower and plant. The newer varieties have exceptionally
large flowers, but the plants do not show off so well and bend down
from the weight of the flowers. For symmetry and uniformity of growth

the old varieties are hard to be excelled. Some of the roses were not so
good as desired, the buds got too much rain at times and rotted away.
The mock oranges, syringas and others were all very good, but the
spireas suffered much when in flower from rains. As a whole, however,
our lawns and grounds were beautiful and satisfactory and the new
greenhouse has done good work.
The growing of fruit this year has been a disappointment to many
horticulturists. Indeed, some got quite a showing of fruit in favored
localities, but the majority got not much of a crop to be proud of. Well,
we cannot regulate the weather conditions, but we are pleased with the
thought that such abnormal conditions are not of frequent occurrence in
Minnesota. Yet there is one redeeming feature of the season and that is,
the wonderful growth of plants and trees which gives promise that with
the usual normal conditions our expectations for a better fruit crop will
be realized.
* * * * *
STORING CABBAGE IN THE FIELD.--In choosing a site for a
storage pit, select a ridge, well drained and as gravelly a soil as possible.
The pit should be 6 to 10 inches deep, the length and width depending
upon the amount to be stored. It is well to have it wide enough to