spring has made a good growth.

The first part of May a hard frost did quite a good deal of damage to
small stock just planted or lined out in the nursery. This frost also
damaged the blossoms on the fruit trees. The plum trees happened to be
in full bloom when this frost came, so that froze them entirely, and so
we did not get any plums to speak of. We also had a light crop of
apples, especially of the early varieties. The Northwestern and Patten's
Greening bore a good crop.

The grapes also froze. I expected to get some fruit off those grape
seedlings I received from the State Fruit-Breeding Farm three years ago,
but they went with the rest of it.

The plum trees I received this and two years ago are all doing well.
They did not freeze back any when we had that hard frost; so far they
seem to be hardy for this location.

Had a medium crop of raspberries, also a light crop of currants and
gooseberries. We had a good crop of strawberries. Seedling strawberry
No. 3 is doing very well. Everbearing strawberries are doing nicely. We
had a nice fall and plenty of rain, so that trees and shrubbery went
into winter quarters in good condition.

Growing Beans and Sweet Corn.

P. B. MARIEN, ST. PAUL.

Since it is one thing to grow beans and sweet corn and another to make
money on them, I think from a market gardener's point of view my heading
should have been "growing beans and sweet corn at a profit."

I will talk of beans first, because while the two are planted at about
the same time, beans make their appearance on the market long before
sweet corn.

Beans have a nitrogen gathering power and are therefore a soil-improving
crop. They are to the gardener what clover is to the farmer. For early
beans we have found that sandy soil well fertilized is by far the best.
If possible it should be sloping toward the south, although we have had
good success on level land well drained. One should have the best seed
possible, and if you get hold of a good strain of seed that produces
nice, velvety beans earlier than your neighbor, save as much of that
seed as you can. Of course now that the price of seed is $10.00 to
$14.00 a bushel one cannot be too particular.

[Illustration: P. B. Marien, St. Paul.]

Too much stress cannot be laid on the fact that to make money on beans
one must have them on the market within a week after the first ones make
their appearance. To do this one must plant them at the right time. The
pra