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

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.
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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 accommodate 3 to 5 heads on the bottom row.
In harvesting the heads, pull up by the roots. Break off only the dead or diseased leaves, and fold the remaining leaves over the head as much as possible to protect them. Overripe or cracked heads should not be stored. The heads are placed in the pit with their heads down and roots up. The second layer is also placed heads down between the roots of the first layer. It is well not to have more than two layers, on account of the weight having a tendency to crush the lower layer.
When the cabbages are put in place they are covered with a layer of earth. When cold weather comes, straw or manure can be added.
Cabbages can often be kept better in pits than in common cellars.--E. F. McKune, Colorado Agricultural College, Fort Collins,