APPLES IN MINNESOTA.
Seeing that the climate of the State of Minnesota is very severe upon fruit trees, our readers who live in the more trying sections of the Province will be interested to know what kinds of apples are found to answer there. At St. Paul, Minnesota, the mean temperature for the three Summer months is about the same as that of London, Ontario; while the mean temperature for the three Winter months is about that of Pembroke, in the County of Renfrew, or Three Rivers, in the Province of Quebec. Thus it will be seen that fruit trees in Minnesota are exposed to very severe cold in Winter, while the Summer heat is also quite considerable.
On looking at the transactions of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society for the last year, we notice that only two apples are recommended for general cultivation, namely, the Duchess of Oldenburg, and Wealthy. This indicates that the climate of that State must be very unfavorable to the apple tree. The Duchess of Oldenburg has been cultivated in this Province for a number of years, and has borne the severity of our Winters unharmed. The Wealthy is not as well known, indeed it is doubtful if it has been planted in many of our orchards. The Tetofsky is recommended for planting in limited quantities. The reason for this limitation does not seem to be brought out in the discussion, unless it be because one gentleman lost a number of trees of this variety in the Winter of 1873. The St. Lawrence, Utter’s Red, and Snow apple or Fameuse were recommended for favorable localities; and the White Astracan and Elgin Beauty for general trial throughout the State. So far as the White Astracan has been cultivated here, it has been considered a fruit of poor quality, not to be grown where better sorts will thrive. The Wealthy is a very good, medium sized fruit, in use from December to February, which originated near St. Paul, in Minnesota, and seems to have maintained a character for extraordinary hardiness; it is worthy the attention of those who require a tree capable of enduring a very low temperature. The Elgin Beauty originated in the township of Elgin, in Wabasha county, Minnesota; it is a medium sized fruit, streaked with red on a yellow ground, moderately juicy, sub-acid, in season from November to March. The writer is not aware that it has been planted in Ontario.
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