ge proportion of the fruit set to
drop, and the remainder was unsalable in unsprayed orchards.
Considerable blight is reported in a number of orchards, especially
where cultivated. Trees growing in sod were noticeably free from it.
Practically nothing is being done to prevent its spreading. While
cutting out the affected wood may in some cases check it, I am satisfied
a better remedy will have to be found before it is wiped out. In my own
orchard just a few trees located on low land and under cultivation were
affected, and not a single case in sod.

There is from all reports an abundance of moisture in the ground, and
trees are in good condition to stand a hard winter, except that in some
cases the buds started during the warm days of November.

The crop of strawberries was generally a very light one on account of
blossoms being injured by late frosts and winter killing, but a few
correspondents report a full crop.

Other small fruits, including currants, raspberries and blackberries,
were a practical failure and light crop.

The crop of grapes was very light and in only a few favored localities
ripened before killing frosts. Plums, except in a few instances, were a
failure, the exceptions being in case of the Hansen hybrids.

[Illustration: Residence of S.H. Drum, Owatonna, in First Congressional
District--a veteran member of the society]

While more varieties of apples are successfully grown in this vicinity
than elsewhere in the state, and some correspondents recommend a long
list, my experience and advice is to set only a few varieties of known
commercial value, and while far too many early apples are being grown,
this condition is better than planting winter apples of unknown
hardiness and quality. The Northwestern Greening is the most profitable
winter apple here, but I understand it is not hardy in some localities
in the state.

* * * * *

ALASKAN BERRY HYBRIDS.--At the Sitka Experiment Station in
Alaska a strain of hardy strawberries is in the making, the result of
crosses between the native of the Alaskan coast region and cultivated
varieties. Several thousand seedlings have been grown, all very vigorous
and most of them productive and of high quality. The native variety of
the interior of Alaska is now to be used in similar crosses.

The Cuthbert raspberry has been crossed with its relatives, the native
Salmonberry (_Rubus spectabilis_ Pursh.) and the Thimbleberry (_R.