USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 6
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The resident directors, with the dates of their service and their respective terms of services, have been as follows: N. F. Barnes, 1866-1868; C. C. An- drews, 1868-1869; E. O. Hamlin, 1870-1872; J. G. Smith, 1873-1876; W. B. Mitchell, 1878-1901; Alvah Eastman, 1902-1908; Karl Mathie, 1908-1911; C. L. Atwood, 1911 to date.
Alumni Association. The first annual banquet of the alumni association of the school was held at the West House, April 28, 1881. An organization was formed by the election of the following named officers: T. J. Gray, president; H. A. Bickford and Flora M. Truman, vice-presidents; W. H. Alden, secretary ; Mary L. Upham, corresponding secretary.
Among the pleasant things remembered by the alumni is the address at commencement, April 27, 1882, by Ex-governor Cushman K. Davis who warned them to be practical, quoting from the Empress Catherine of Russia who had listened to the theories of Diderot. "You work on paper which endures all things; it imposes no obstacles either to your imagination or your pen. But I, poor Empress as I am, I work on the human skin which is irritable and ticklish to a very different degree." It was at this commence- ment that one hundred of the alumni and their friends sat down to the ban- quet at the West House at the Conclusion of graduation exercises.
The dedication of Lawrence Hall at the alumni banquet, May 29, 1906, formed another memorable epoch in alumni history. This is elsewhere de- scribed.
At graduation, June, 1907, the address was made by the Hon. W. S. Hammond, of Blue Earth, then a member of the normal board, now governor of the state of Minnesota. At the alumni banquet were present Senator With- erstein, of Rochester, Senator Robinson, Judge Tifft, member of the normal board. James A. Martin acted as toast master. Judge L. W. Collins told of
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his great interest in the school, intensified by his marriage to Ella Stewart, for two years a member of the faculty. A beautiful bronze tablet was un- veiled and Judge Collins presented the school this memorial of his wife. The tablet contains the Gettysburg address of Abraham Lincoln and a design which has the approval of the G. A. R. The inscription on the plate is as follows: "Presented to the St. Cloud State Normal School in memory of Ella Stewart Collins, a member of the faculty in 1877-1878, who died May 31, 1894."
The following persons have been presidents of the association: May 27, 1884, Thomas J. Gray; May 26, 1885, Waite A. Shoemaker; June 2, 1886, Clarence L. Atwood; May 31, 1900, Dr. J. C. Boehm; May 28, 1902, William H. Thompson; June 10, 1903, Clinton D. Grinols; June 2, 1904, Dr. J. C. Boehm; June 13, 1905, James E. Jenks; May 29, 1906, Andrew E. Fritz; June 11, 1907, Mrs. E. S. Hill; June 4, 1908, Clarence L. Atwood; June 1, 1909, Mrs. Martin Molitor; May 31, 1910, Mrs. Martin Molitor; May 30, 1911, Peter J. Seberger; May 28, 1912, Paul Ahles; June 5, 1913, James H. May- bury; June 9, 1914, Warren Stewart.
(Acknowledgments are due Isabel Lawrence, the dean of the faculty of the St. Cloud Normal School, for valuable assistance in the preparation of this chapter.)
CHAPTER XL.
HORTICULTURE.
Work of the Pomologists-The Collegeville Station-Early Efforts and Later Successes-Personal Experiences-Directions for Planting and Care-By Rev. John B. Katzner, O. S. B .- The Belgrade Station-Muck Irrigation -By C. R. Sandvig-The Paynesville Station-By Frank Brown.
The raising of fruit in Stearns county has been a matter of slow and gradual development. The earlier experiments in the southern part of the state had demonstrated that apples could be grown in Minnesota, although in the beginning nothing was ventured on but the crab varieties. With the success of these fully established intelligent and progressive pomologists ex- perimented further, and nothing daunted continued until now not only in the more southern localities but in Stearns county a number of varieties of apples, large in size, fine in flavor, abundant in yield and with average keep- ing qualities, are successfully grown. Many farmers grow not only a suffi- cient supply for their own use but an excess for the market. The aggregate yield now reaches into the thousands of bushels. It is undoubtedly true that with further experimentation as to varieties and a wider knowledge as to proper planting and cultivation this yield will be increased many fold and the list of varieties receive many choice additions. What has been accom- plished thus far may be accepted as an assurance of what may be expected in the future.
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While the cultivation of plums has been less successful here, yet this is also doubtless only a matter of time. At the state fair there have been shown plums which in size, appearance and flavor it would be difficult to excel any- where. In the coming years it may be anticipated with confidence that this fruit will be found flourishing in many orchards.
Small fruits, such as grapes, strawberries, raspberries, currants, etc., do well in almost any locality with proper care and cultivation.
There are several trial stations of the Minnesota Horticultural Society in Stearns county, the most important of which is at St. John's University, Collegeville, in charge of the Rev. J. B. Katzner, O. S. B., whose work in the horticultural department has given him a state-wide reputation. Two other trial stations in the county are at Belgrade and Paynesville, in charge of C. R. Sandvig and Frank Brown, respectively. Contributions follow from these three gentlemen, giving full, clear and intelligent presentations of the methods used and the results obtained in the planting and cultivation of apple, plum and other fruit trees which cannot but be of much value to all who read them and profit by the information given.
THE COLLEGEVILLE STATION.
For want of data and literature, it is not claimed to give a complete his- tory of horticulture in Stearns county. For the greater part of this work I have to rely on my own memory, experiments and experiences. The informa- tion, however, thus obtained from my own practical work, may be, I think, well applicable for the entire county. The historical records of horticulture of Stearns county are very few and meager. Yet, looking over the forty- seven years of my residence in this county, quite a number of historical facts arise before my vision, which it may be well to record.
When the early pioneers settled in the southern counties of our state, they brought along with them many varieties of fruits from their old homes. Some of them procured a liberal supply of nursery stock from New York and other eastern states, wherever they could get trees, just to get a start in fruit-culture. Many orchards were planted and nurseries started by these energetic men, but the results were nothing but failures. Thousands of trees had their lives crushed out by the severity of our climate. It could not be otherwise. The country was new, the wild lands unsubdued, the climate uncongenial to these fruit trees and the varieties not at all adapted. To this must be added, that the cultural methods of the east were unsuited for the healthy development of fruit trees in the Northwest. New methods of cul- ture had to be developed by our southern pioneers. Much time and energy were lost, and accordingly many years passed by before any permanent re- sults were achieved in horticulture in the state. Western horticulture was given a new impetus by the United States Department of Agriculture with the introduction of Russian varieties of apples and other fruits to our coun- try. It was confidently hoped that some varieties might be found among the many thus introduced that could be successfully grown in the North- western States. In the meantime, a dozen of our horticultural pioneers banded together and started our now great Minnesota State Horticultural
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Society in 1866 for their mutual assistance and exchange of ideas and expe- riences. They went to work with great enthusiasm to try these Russian im- portations. Although their high expectations were not realized, they found at least some varieties that were considered hardy enough for our northern country. These trees were propagated as rapidly as possible, but it took some years before a sufficient supply was on hand for the trade of the more northern counties. At this time, too, a few varieties of hardy crabapples had been originated which could safely be planted. The varieties of apples were the Duchess, Tetofsky, and, I think, the Transparent; and of crabs, the Transcendent and Hyslop. Now we had at least a few apples that could be tried, but we had no plums, as all eastern and European varieties failed en- tirely. What was to be done? Our own native varieties came to the rescue. The woods of Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota were searched for the best native kinds and brought under cultivation. The work was successful, and many varieties were now propagated for the trade. As for grapes and other small fruits, they were still obtained from the east.
When our family immigrated to Stearns County in 1867, I, at that time but a lad, looked about in vain for fruit trees and on inquiry was told that "we cannot grow apples in Minnesota." What a disappointment! It was in 1868 that the first agent, to my knowledge, from a southern Minnesota nursery was soliciting orders for nursery stock in Stearns county. He came to St. Joseph and I remember well, that Mr. Linneman, my father and others, bought some Transcendent crabs and cherry trees. The trees came in due time, were planted by my father and myself and in a few years we had crab apples and just four or five cherries. The cherries died, but the crabs were bearing quite well for a number of years. The same year I made my first experiment; for after the above mentioned cherry trees had been planted, I took the prunings, went out to the woods and stem-grafted some of the wild cherry trees. I cut off the tops five feet above ground, cut the scion wedge- shaped, set it in the split of the cherry stem and put some shoemaker's wax from my father's bench over the cut parts. These grafts grew most vigorously and by August had grown a perfect top. I was highly pleased. Just at this time a severe storm came up from the southwest and blew off all the tops of my cherry trees and I, needless to say, felt much grieved. From this fact it looks very probable that I may be entitled to the honor of having done the first grafting of fruit trees in Stearns county.
From 1868 on, a little more attention was paid to fruit growing. Farmers and townspeople, seeing the possibility of at least being able to raise crab apples, freely bought from the agents who now came annually to solicit orders for stock, and the more so, when in 1869 or 1870 trees bearing large apples were offered for sale. Nurserymen from the southern counties did quite a flourishing business in Stearns and other central counties at that time. The varieties that were generally to be had were the Tetofsky, Duchess and, I think, the Transparent apples, and of crabs, the Transcendent and Hyslop. But horticulture in Stearns county, as elsewhere, had its drawbacks, the first venture of growing apples was on the whole not quite successful. For, al- though the crabs and apples bore well for a few years, blight and other dis-
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eases now appeared all over the county and ruined many good trees. This was so much the worse, as the owners did not know what to do to save their trees. It was but natural that quite a number of farmers became dis- couraged and would not buy and plant any more fruit trees. Yet there were always some people in the county who kept right on trying against all odds. This setback lasted for a long time and not much progress was made in fruit- raising in Stearns county for the first ten years. This may be seen from a report written by J. I. Salter of St. Cloud on June 21, 1875, to C. Y. Lacy, secretary of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. After speaking about the injury done to trees from the cold winter, he gives the following fruit list for Stearns county : Apples, Duchess; crabs, Transcendent and Hyslop; raspberries, Philadelphia, Brinckle's Orange and Doolittle; blackberries, Kit- tatinny and Wilson; strawberries, Wilson's Albany, Jucunda, Charles Down- ing and Hovey's Seedling. With the exception of the apple and crabs, all fruits mentioned by Mr. Salter are now no longer grown. He does not men- tion any currants and grapes, although I am quite sure they were grown at least to some extent in the county.
At this time I was still pursuing my studies at St. John's College and had all the opportunities to observe what different varieties of fruits were grown at this institution in 1875. I remember well the Tetofsky, Duchess and Transparent apples, and also the Transcendent and Hyslop crabs. One year the Transcendent bore so well that 100 bushels of them were picked. I re- member, too, that there were about 50 grapevines in the garden and the trouble the gardener had to get them all. They were the Concord and another variety. There were also two rows of the Red Dutch currants bearing lots of fruit and a few plum trees. No strawberries were planted here, but I have seen a bed of this fruit at Mr. Bernik's place in St. Joseph. At my sister's place at Albany I noticed several varieties of crabs and sampled the Trans- parent apple. I was even present at a horticultural lawsuit in St. Cloud. Sev- eral hundred trees were shipped to Melrose and the parties notified of their ar- rival. Some farmers waited about a week until they found it convenient to go to town for their trees. Meanwhile the trees were lying out on the plat- form in the hot sun and were ruined. The trees did not grow and the farmers did not want to pay, hence the lawsuit.
The progress of horticulture in Stearns county from 1875 to 1893 was slowly but steadily advancing. One of the main drawbacks was the many unscrupulous agents who palmed off their worthless stock on the unsuspect- ing farmers. These agents, who never saw the inside of a nursery and knew nothing about fruit trees, utilized their chances for making money. They bought their trees from eastern nurseries in quantities and paid perhaps ten cents a tree, but often sold them to the farmers for one dollar apiece. It would not have been so bad had the trees grown and borne fruit, but being of varieties not at all adapted to our conditions, they lingered for two or three years and then died. I know of one man who bought a number of trees every spring for three years and I know, too, that not one tree lived to bear an apple. The people were simply cheated and humbugged by these sharps, called agents. While some still kept on planting apple trees, many
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determined not to throw any more money away uselessly on nursery stock. Another reason why we did not advance as fast as was desirable was due to the fact that our southern nurseries, on whom we were dependent for stock, made but little progress. It takes years to originate and test fruits adapted to our state. With the arrival, however, of our famous Wealthy and some very good crabs as the Whitney, real and lasting progress was being made in horticulture. These apples were propagated as fast as possible and planted in almost every county of the state. A few years later I found these apples in many places in the county doing well and bearing excellent fruit. The farmers would point with pride to their fine, healthy trees with bent-down branches full of luscious apples. These two varieties have done much in removing the old indifference and in making horticulture more popular in our county. However, they were not the only varieties which were sent out during this period; many more were originated and introduced by our ex- perimenters, but none of them ever enjoyed the popularity of our Wealthy. This apple was originated by Peter Gideon at Lake Minnetonka and is now grown east and west, from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. It has become a favorite with every fruit grower, and famous for its excellent qualities and has merited the distinction of being called the "Jonathan of the North."
But man is never satisfied, nor is the horticulturist. Having been suc- cessful to some extent, he tried his hand in new experiments and for that a good opportunity was offered to him in testing new fruits. The United States Department of Agriculture thought it well to try some more Russian varieties of fruits for our middle west. So in 1882 Prof. Budd of Ames, Iowa, made a trip of exploration into the interior of Russia, where the climate is more severe than in Minnesota. He imported many varieties of apples, pears, plums and cherries, which were all tested in the North Central States. Nurs- erymen and many members of our Horticultural Society were now in their full glory, trying and testing these importations to find some new varieties of fruits for the state, and although their expectations were not realized fully, yet quite a number of apples were found hardy enough for Minnesota, though in other respects they were not just what was wanted. The pears, plums, cherries and many apples did not find the climate of Minnesota con- genial for their successful growth. The fruit list for Minnesota was now largely increased and in a few years these new varieties found their way into Stearns county and were successfully grown in many towns.
To show what was and could be grown in Stearns county at the close of the year 1893, I only need to mention some of the varieties which were rec- ommended for planting in the southern half of the state by the Minnesota Horticultural Society. Of apples we had the Wealthy, Duchess, Hibernal, Tetofsky, Longfield, Christmas, Borovinka, Okabena, Peerless and Patten's Greening. Of crabs and hybrids were mentioned: Virginia, Martha, Early Strawberry, Whitney, Beecher's Sweet and Arlington. Of plums: Desota, Rollingstone, Forest Garden, Wolf, Weaver Ocheeda and Cheney. A similar large number of varieties of the smaller fruits were given, but I do not think it necessary for my purpose to mention them here. It is true, some of the above sorts were only considered hardy enough for the more southern coun-
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ties, but I have tried them all in Stearns county and found them equally as hardy as any other kind we can grow.
The greatest progress in horticulture was made by Stearns county from 1893 till 1914. Many causes may be advanced for its long strides achieved in fruit culture. One of the main reasons was the educational work of the Min- nesota Horticultural Society carried on throughout the state. Before 1893 it scarcely had more than 300 members any given year, but from now on it ยท made a most wonderful progress in its membership and in 1914 more than 3,000 active horticulturists of the state belonged to this society. It is now the largest horticultural society in the United States. From the very begin- ning its members worked hard to test all the different varieties of fruits, for- eign and native, for the purpose of finding out suitable sorts that could be safely planted in Minnesota. They sowed seeds from fruit trees annually to originate new hardy sorts and encouraged everyone else to do the same, so that we might originate our own pomology which we could not possibly get from other states. Their work was crowned with wonderful success, not only in introducing many sorts from foreign lands but also in originating new varieties adapted to our county and state. I need only mention such native seedlings now grown in Stearns county as the Wealthy, Okabena, Peerless, Patten's Greening and many other sorts not so well known.
The people of Stearns county, and for that matter of the state, were on account of past failures in fruit-growing to a great extent still in a mood of indifference. It now became necessary to educate the public in this art, to eliminate failures in the future as much as possible, to show the people in a practical way the possibility of more extensive fruit-growing in the state and to arouse a general interest for renewed efforts. There were many per- suasive means, foremost being our State Fair. To most people who go there it is a revelation in horticulture, an exhibition of horticultural success never expected to be seen in Minnesota. Many times the visitors from all over the state could be noticed glancing over the long tables in admiration and say- ing, "Is it possible that these fine apples have all been grown in Minnesota ?" Usually they go home with the mental resolve to try again. Next in impor- tance come the county fairs. They, too, are educating the masses and create new interest in horticulture. The fruit exhibit at the street fair in St. Cloud some years ago and now annually at the county fair at Sauk Centre is cer- tainly of great educational importance to our farming community. For the many years of its existence the Minnesota Horticultural Society has spread the gospel of horticulture in the state by its many publications, its reliable in- formation on horticultural topics and its annual meetings. I am proud to say that Stearns county has no small contingent among this teaching body of real horticulturists. The influence of this society is now well recognized when one visits the many towns and farms and notices the many fruit trees or orch- ards bearing an abundance of luscious fruit. Finally, there is another factor that works well for the advancement of horticulture in our county: I mean the Lecture corps which visits the principal towns and cities in our county. To this belong practical men who not only lecture on agricultural topics but also make it a point to instruct our farmers how to grow fruits successfully.
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All these means unite in producing the one desired effect-to educate our people in the art of successful fruit-growing in our county and I may say that this has been wonderfully accomplished. Our people have now not only a reliable fruit list, but know how to grow these fruits to perfection. It is comparatively but a few years ago that there was not an apple grown in Stearns county, it was not even thought possible, and now hundreds and thousands of bushels of apples are grown almost annually. Take the year 1913 when many farmers sold from $50 to $200 worth of apples. And at St. John's University? Well, it was the banner year in horticulture, for we picked more than 800 bushels of this fruit. These are certainly most gratify- ing results and augur well for the future progress of horticulture in Stearns County.
I shall now give the list of fruits which was adopted by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society Dec. 3, 1914, for the guidance of planters. The people of Stearns county would do well to make their selection of fruits from this list and plant no others.
Apples. Of the first degree of hardiness: Duchess, Hibernal, Patten's Greening, Okabena. Of the second degree of hardiness: Wealthy, Malinda, Anisim, Iowa Beauty, Lowland Raspberry, Jewell's Winter, Milwaukee. Val- uable in some locations: Wolf River, Yellow Transparent, Longfield, North- western Greening, Tetofsky, Peerless. Most profitable varieties for commer- cial planting in Minnesota: Wealthy, Duchess, Patten's Greening, Okabena, Anisim. Recommended for top-working on hardy stocks: Wealthy, Malinda, N. W. Greening, Stayman's Winesap, Grimes' Golden, Milwaukee, McIntosh. Varieties for trial: Eastman, Evelyn, Windsor Chief, Gilbert.
Crabs and Hybrids. For general cultivation: Florence, Whitney, Early Strawberry, Sweet Russet, Transcendent. Varieties for trial: Faribault, Dartt, Success.
Plums and Hybrid plums. For general cultivation: De Sota, Forest Garden, Wolf (freestone), Wyant, Stoddard, Terry. Most promising for trial: Compass Cherry, Hanska, Opata, Sapa.
Grapes. First degree of hardiness: Beta, Janesville. Second degree of hardiness : Moore's Early, Campbell's Early, Brighton, Delaware, Worden, Concord, Moore's Diamond, Wyoming Red.
Raspberries. Red varieties: King, Turner, Miller, Loudon, Minnetonka Ironclad, Sunbeam. Black and purple varieties: Palmer, Gregg, Older, Columbian, Cumberland.
Blackberries. Ancient Briton, Snyder, Eldorado.
Currants. White Grape, Victoria, Long Bunch Holland, Pomona, Red Cross, Perfection, London Market.
Gooseberries. Houghton, Downing, Champion, Pearl, Carrie.
Strawberries. Perfect varieties: Bederwood, Enhance, Lovett, Splen- did, Glen-Mary, Clyde, Senator Dunlap. Imperfect varieties: Crescent, War- field, Haverland, Marie. Everbearing varieties for trial: Progressive, Superb, American.
Native Fruits. Valuable for trial : Dwarf Juneberry, Sand Cherry, Buffalo Berry, High Bush Cranberry.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
Nut Fruits. Shellbark Hickory, Black Walnut, Butternut.
I always had a predilection for horticulture as far as I can think back. Even as a boy of eight years I had already transplanted a small pear tree from the woods to my grandfather's garden in July. Of course, three days later the tree was dead. In our school the teacher spoke interestingly on horticulture and one time showed us boys how to graft trees. I was all eye , and ear and I never forgot this one lesson. After coming to St. Joseph in this county I did my first grafting. Later as a student and professor I had no time to do any horticultural work. It was only when our old orchard at St. John's had been removed and no one ever thought of planting a new one, that I felt a desire to do something in this line. In the fall of 1893 a neighbor of ours brought me a few beautiful apples. They were the Wealthy and the Whitney. In answer to my questions, he told me that he grew them at his place. That settled it for me. I at once asked him for scions and inspected his trees. They were about 10 years old, healthy looking and bearing heavily. We had a few seedlings in a small garden and I grafted 45 of them to Wealthy and Whitney in the spring of 1894. At the same time I ordered three dozen apple trees from a Wisconsin nursery, not then knowing that there were nurseries in Minnesota. The trees came, they were Wealthy, Duchess and Wolf River apples, Shield and Grant's crabs. I planted my orchard, the trees 16 feet apart each way. The work was done well and the trees grew.
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