Very little blight is reported as present the past summer, and what little there was yielded readily to the pruning knife applied five or six inches below infected wood, being careful to sterilize tool in solution of corrosive sublimate. The most serious injury from blight is caused by its attacking tender sprout growths on trunks or large branches. The blight runs very rapidly down the tender wood, penetrating to the cambium layer, where it causes cankers, often girdling entire trunk and killing tree outright. This is especially true of the Virginia crab and Wealthy apple.
Trees and plants came through last winter in A1 condition as a consequence of a mild winter, and this fall they go into winter quarters with abundance of moisture and well ripened wood.
Considerable nursery stock was planted last spring with excellent results, due to plentiful supply of moisture from spring to fall.
While fruit growing in Minnesota is not so extensively engaged in as in some reputed fruit growers' paradises we read about, I wish to state that the South and East (to speak in the vernacular) "has nothing on us." I have reliable information that the same freeze that cleaned us out up here in the North did the same trick for growers at Mobile, Alabama. Therefore, I advise members not to yield to discouragement. Plant and care for varieties recommended in the society planting list and emulate the society motto, "Perseverantia Vincimus."
From replies to letters sent out the following list of varieties appears to be in favor as the most desirable to plant in this district:
Apples: Wealthy, Okabena, Duchess, Patten's Greening.
Crabs: Florence, Whitney, Lyman's Prolific.
Plums: DeSoto, Hawkeye, Wyant, Wolf.
Raspberries: King, Sunbeam, Minnetonka Ironclad.
Currants: Perfection, Prince Albert, Long Bunch Holland, Wilder.