Orcharding in Minnesota.

Richard Wellington, Asst. Horticulturist, university farm, st. Paul.

This paper is purposely given a broad title so that it may cover any questions which come under the head of orcharding.  Many of you who have been pestered with an “Orchard Survey Blank” can easily guess what subjects are to be taken up.  Thanks to many of the members of this society and other fruit growers for their hearty co-operation, a large amount of data has been collected from fifty-three counties, representing most of the districts within the state.  As would be expected certain counties have contributed much more information than others, probably owing to their greater interest in orcharding.  For example:  Thirty-one replies have already been received from Hennepin County, seven from Goodhue, six from Renville, five each from Houston, Meeker and Rice, four each from Chippewa, Dakota, Mower, Polk and Wabasha, three each from Blue Earth, Nicollet, Ottertail, Pine, Ramsey, Steele, Washington and Watonwan and one or two each from the remaining counties.  Perhaps if the right parties had been reached the low-standing counties would have a higher ranking.

The best way to present the data is an enigma.  If all the information was given at one time we would need a whole day instead of fifteen minutes.  Of course much of the material is a repetition, and a general summary will cover the main facts in most cases.  Nevertheless it is not feasible to take up all of the subject matter in this short period, and therefore the first two topics on the survey blank have been selected, namely, orchard sites and protective agencies.  At a later date, if you are sufficiently interested in dry facts other subjects, as soils, dynamiting, orchard management, stock of fruit trees, methods of planting and pruning, varieties for various localities, etc., will be taken up.  Some of the subjects, like sites and soils, will be treated as state problems, while others must be considered as sectional.

Minnesota, as you all know, contains many different climatic conditions, and consequently its orchard practices and recommendations must vary accordingly.  To meet this problem the writer, in consultation with Prof.  Cady, divided the state into six sections, namely, the southeastern, east central, northeastern, northwestern, west central and southwestern.  Many counties are, of course, in an intermediate position and might be thrown into either of the adjoining sections, but an arbitrary line must be drawn somewhere.  Freeborn, Waseca, Rice, Goodhue and all the counties east of them are placed in the southeastern section.  Nicollet, LeSueur, Sibley, McLeod, Wright, Isanti and the counties to the east are included in the central east, and Pine, Mille Lacs, Morrison and the counties to the north and east are placed in the northeastern section.  Beltrami, Hubbard, Ottertail and the counties to the west are placed in northwestern section; Traverse, Douglas, Todd, Stearns, Meeker, Renville, Yellow Medicine and the enclosed counties in the west central, and the remainder to the south and west are in the southwestern section.  Thus, when the various sections are mentioned, you will know what part of the state is being referred to.