the white willow, but when you come to the western part of Minnesota, the white willow is the main thing to plant, and when you come to Dakota, you are not going to plant anything else except the white willow. The climate has everything to do with it, and the further west you go, the more unfavorable you find the climate, until you get to the mountains.

The President: I think that is a point you want to keep in mind. What Mr. Smith, Mr. Gregg and Mr. Clark are talking for is the western part of the state and the Dakotas. It is entirely different in Minnesota in the eastern and southeastern part of the state; you do not need any shelter, and you can make a perfect success without anything of that kind. So keep that point in mind, and do not say that the willow is the only thing, or anything else. Do not say that willows should not be planted anywhere, because at some places it is absolutely necessary.

CURRANTS FOR THE MARKET GARDENER.

WM. LYONS, MINNEAPOLIS.

Mr. President, I did not prepare any paper on this subject. I can say all I have to say in a few words. My experience in the currant business in Minneapolis was that the Red Dutch was first, the Stewart Seedling came a little later, and if I was planting more I would plant more of the Red Duch. There is another currant I raised a good deal of, and that is the Prince Albert. That and the Long Bunch Holland were a good deal alike, and both of them will keep extremely late. In old times the earliest fruit brought the best price on the market, but now the late fruit brings the best price.

Mr. C. F. Gardner: Have you ever tried the Pomona?
Mr. Lyons: No.

Mr. C. L. Smith: From which of the currants you have grown for market did you get the most money?

Mr. Lyons: The last three years I have not marketed any; I have rented my place. I used to make the most out of the Red Duch. There are some other varieties now in which there is probably more money.

Mr. Philips, (Wis.): Why is it that the later fruits bring the most money?

Mr. Lyons: It is because they come in after the rush is over from the other states.

Mr. C. L. Smith: Would you grow white currants for market?

Mr. Lyons: There is not much market for white currants.

Mr. C. L. Smith: Does size and color count as much as quality?

Mr. Lyons: Size counts a good deal.

Mr. Pond: With me the Stewart Seedling is a very unprofitable currant. As soon as the currant begins to ripen, it begins to drop off, and by the time you are ready to gather the crop one-third has dropped off the bunch, and since a later currant is the more profitable you are losing considerable in that way. The Stewart Seedling has to be picked so early you do not get a good price for it, or else they have dropped off so much that you have very ragged bunches, and they will not sell well for the rest of the season.

Mrs. Crooker: I would like to speak a word for the Stewart Seedling. I would not like to have the report go out that the Stewart Seedling is an unprofitable variety. With us it is the very latest, and they sold for $3.00 per bushel.

Mr. Wheaton: The berries on the end of the stem drop off, and they do not carry a full bunch.

Mr. Philips, (Wis.): A commission man in Chicago told me, "You fellows in your horticultural societies will have to grow some late fruit, for the women will not stand over the stove in hot weather to make preserves."

Mr. Taylor: After raising currants in Minnesota for twentyfive years, I have not found anything better than the Red Dutch. For home and table use I use the White grape, and for jelly we use the Red Dutch, and for late use we use the Long Bunch Holland. We had the last in September; they remained on the bunches very late. I would advise farmers to plant Red Dutch.

Mr. Hawkins: There is such a wide difference in those reports. Has not fertilization and cultivation a good deal to do with it?

Mr. Harris: The soil has a good deal to do with it.

Mr. Beardsley: I have one reason to advance in answer to the question why it is they want a late currant. In fact, there are two reasons, one is that, as a rule, people do not buy their currants while the market is going down, thinking they will get a little cheaper, but just as soon as they begin to advance they will begin to buy, and when currants go up fifty cents to a dollar a crate then is the time to sell them.

Mr. Yahnke: I believe there are more dollars and cents in the Red Dutch than in any other, but it is just as the last speaker says, nobody wants to buy an article when the price is

going down, but raise the price five cents and the market will be rushed. Therefore, just as soon as the commercial grower sees that the market is filled up, he should hold his currants; he should wait until the market gets empty and then rush them in as fast as possible, and he will sell them at a profitable price. Mr. Dewain Cook: I want to say a few words about the Long Bunch Holland: I have grown currants for market and found the Red Dutch the most profitable; I find the late currants sell better than the early ones. This year the Long Bunch Holland was the best currant I had. I shall drop the Red Dutch. The Long Bunch Holland did not last much longer than the Red Dutch; when the Red Dutch was gone, the Long Bunch Holland was gone. As a late currant I do not think it held on much longer than the Red Dutch.

Mr. Richardson: I think we had Long bunch Holland four weeks after the Red Dutch were gone. I have bushes there that stand as high as my head.

Mr. Charles Patten, (Iowa:) I wish to submit the statement that the difference in the soil accounts for the difference in the same variety of currants. This gentleman (Mr. Barnes) has

a very deep, rich, moist soil, while Mr. Cook has a drier soil, and the atmosphere is also drier than where this gentleman lives, and if one will observe he will notice the fact that almost any variety of currants will do better on clay soil, and almost any clay soil, if properly enriched, will do better than ordinary soil. The old Cherry currant is an example of this, and also the White Grape. The White Grape is worth double, grown on clay soil than it is on prairie soil. The gentleman spoke of the Prince Albert. If grown on a clay soil it will be a success, but if grown on prairie soil it will not be worth much; so, as I said before, the soil will explain the difference.

Mr. Barnes: I would like to ask Mr. Patten whether he would grow Long Bunch Holland or Prince Albert?

Mr. Patten: On clay soil I would plant the Prince Albert, because it is a nicer currant.

FERTILIZING BARREN PLUM TREES.-An uncle of mine had a clump of plum trees which were, to all appearances, healthy, mature trees. They blossomed freely each spring, but never had fruit, until upon investigation it was found that the blossoms lacked fertilizing pollen. As an experiment a wild plum tree that was just in blossom was cut and brought to the orchard, where it was set up in a barrel of water in the midst of the heretofore barren trees. The experiment resulted in an abundance of fruit. The wild tree furnished the fertilizing pollen which the other trees did not supply.

NOTICE OF

Summer Meeting,

1899,

OF THE

MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The regular summer gathering of the society will be held as usual this year at the State Experiment Station, at St. Anthony Park, on Thursday, the 22d day of June. It is the purpose to set this date to accommodate the rose and strawberry growers in that part of the state most accessible to the place of meeting, and a liberal premium list has been prepared, which should draw out a very full exhibit.

The general order of exercises for the day will not differ materially from that of similar occasions in previous years. The forenoon will give ample opportunity to those so inclined to look over the experiment gardens and orchards and observe the changes and progress in this interesting and valuable work.

Prof. S. B. Green, in charge of the horticultural work at the station, and his assistants, will be in readiness at ten o'clock, and thereafter during the forenoon, to conduct parties over the grounds and supply any information as to the work of the station desired. If you are interested in the development of local horticulture, you should, by all means, take advantage of this opportunity to secure information under such favorable conditions, where the object being talked about is also displayed before you.

At 12:30 o'clock lunch will be spread in Armory Hall, and all are invited to contribute towards this festive occasion. The annual reunions, where we break bread together, go far to cement the tie which holds in fraternal sympathy those who are laboring together for the advancement of our beloved art of horticulture. Every one is welcome. If not a member, $1 00 will make you such and give you all the publications of the society and a voice in its deliberations— but come anyway!

After lunch the regular summer session of the society will be held. The informal program will include "lessons to be drawn from the late severe winter," in five minute papers, by a number of the members, and opportunity for discussion as usual.

An election will be held for the purpose of selecting some one to be recommended to the governor of the state for appointment, to

represent this society, as a member of the board to be created under the forest reserve law, passed at the last session of the legislature. This law was published in the May Horticulturist.

MEETING OF THE WOMEN'S AUXILIARY.-The regular summer meeting of this auxiliary society will be held at some convenient time during the day, to be announced.

HOW TO REACH THE GROUNDS.

Take the Como-Interurban electric car in either St. Paul or Minneapolis and get off at Dooley avenue, where carriages will be found in waiting to carry visitors to the grounds, one-half mile distant, from 9:30 a. m. to 1:30 p. m. Those who drive over in their own conveyances will find ample accommodations on the grounds for stab ling.

Visitors should NOT take the Interurban car, but TAKE the ComoInterurban-Harriet car.

For further information address

W. W. PENDERGAST, President, Hutchinson.

A. W. LATHAM, Secretary, 207 Kasota block, Minneapolis.

PREMIUM LIST.

All exhibits must be entered with the secretary and in place by 12 M., to be entitled to compete for premiums.

Exhibitors competing must be members of this society and the growers or makers of the articles exhibited. The fruit and flowers exhibited must have been grown in Minnesota and must be correctly labelled.

No premiums will be awarded on unworthy articles.