History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 8

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1110

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the scions from apple trees you wish to grow late in the fall, too, but there should be no frost in the trees. The scions should be strong tips of branches grown last season and should be kept the same way as the roots. In Febru- ary you may do the grafting in your room. This is done by making a slant- ing cut three-quarters of an inch long at the collar of the root, make a similar cut at the end of the scion, which should be four inches long, so that both cuts fit fairly well together or cover each other. Make a perpendicular cut in the center of the cut of the root and scion and interlock them by inserting the tongue of one into the slit of the other so that bark and wood fit well together at least on one side. Wind a waxed strip of cloth over the entire cut part and the graft is finished. After grafting put them back again in the moist saw-

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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY

dust in the cellar. In early spring plant the grafts in rows, open the ground with a spade, set down the graft to the last bud, firm the ground and culti- vate. It will take but a week or two until the grafts start to grow, provided the work has been done well. Should small apple or plum trees already grow- ing in the garden be grafted above ground it is necessary to put an extra coat of grafting wax over the tie, that the grafts will not dry out. There are many different methods of grafting, but the principle is always the same. A good grafting wax may be made by melting 4 oz. of yellow bees wax, 3 oz. of rosin and 1 oz. of pure tallow together. Mix well and run yarn or strips of cloth one-third inch wide through the wax. The strips should only be saturated with wax and as too much wax will adhere, pull the strips through between two sticks.

To round out these gleanings from my work, to make them more useful to the farmers, it seems to me I should not omit to write about some of the worst menaces to our fruit trees. I do not mean bugs, worms and insects in general, for these can be controlled with chemicals, and in particular cases the proper remedies will be suggested by the State Entomologist, but I mean to say that blight has been and is still responsible for the loss of many of our fruit trees. Since the initial years of horticulture in Stearns county many thousand trees have been planted. Where are they now? Gone, mostly killed by blight. It is not so much the cold, for we have trees hardy in top and root which are able with a little care to withstand the cold and outgrow an occasional injury from frost. But it is blight, which is in evidence in so many of our orchards and gardens some years, that cause our trees to go down. In midsummer, when everything is growing vigorously our trees are stricken, the leaves wither, turn brown as if seared, the branches get dry, the infection spreads from tree to tree and in a year or two the orchard is only a sad ruin of its former health and vigor. What can we do to save our trees? In the first decade of horticulture our fruit growers were simply at a loss what to do and even now we have no sure remedy for this condi- tion. Yet we can do much to save the trees by cutting out the blighted branches, by being vigilant and ever ready to remove any part of the tree on which blight makes its reappearance. As blight is an infection, it becomes necessary to disinfect the knife after every cut by the use of kerosene or other means. The infected branches should be cut off about six inches below the infection and all branches and leaves burned. Only thorough work will be successful in saving the trees and eradicating blight.

Sunscald also causes much damage to our fruit trees. It cracks the bark on the south side of the tree, generally in early spring; in summer the bark drops off, the wood is exposed and decay sets in. Many shade and other trees may be seen injured that way on the south side from the branches down to the ground. Many apple trees may be observed leaning over to the north- east, with but a few green branches on that side, while on the opposite side the stem and branches are dead. Such trees are an eyesore and will soon pass out of existence. With a little care this injury may be readily prevented by inclining the trees at the time of planting to the one o'clock sun, by shad- ing the stems with anything handy except tar paper, by encouraging branches

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to grow on that side, by white-washing the stems in the fall. This latter treatment may also be recommended against many insects and mice. Always try to keep your trees in a healthful, vigorous condition and they will reward you with bountiful crops.

Now we have to pay a little attention to our large fruit list. A begin- ner in fruit growing not knowing the different varieties would find it very difficult to select the proper ones. Though they are all recommended and may be planted, they are not all equally good in quality, in bearing, keeping and hardiness. For his little orchard the beginner wants the very best trees. I shall now assist him and mention only the best bearing trees in the order of their keeping quality, which is from one to five months. Should a man want to plant a half dozen apple trees on his town lot, I would suggest: One Duchess, one Okabena, one Patten's Greening and three Wealthy. For plant- ing a dozen trees, double the above number. For an orchard of 25 apple trees and six plums I would select two Duchess, two Okabena, five Patten's Green- ings and fifteen Wealthy. Should a few crabs be desirable, two Whitney, four Florence and two Transcendent crabs may be selected. Of plums, De- Sota, Forest Garden or Wolf will be all right. If an orchard of 100 trees is to be planted I would suggest five Duchess, five Okabena, twenty-five Pat- ten's Greenings, ten Anisim, fifty Wealthy and five Malinda. Should crabs be planted, the above number may be reduced and Whitney, Florence and Transcendent crabs planted instead. For larger orchards plant liberally of the Wealthy, as this apple may be kept till February with a little care and is the best one we can grow and always sells for the highest price. For plums every variety from the general list is all right. As grapevines, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries should be protected over winter, it does not matter much which varieties are planted. Yet I would not plant the Concord, as it does not get ripe every year, but I would prefer the Janesville and the Worden, and of strawberries the Splendid and Dunlap.

In conclusion I may suggest, not to plant many of other varieties if you desire to get much and fine fruit from a few trees. Protect the grapes and small fruits well over winter except the currant and gooseberries, the bushes of which need only be tied together. Leave new sorts with high prices alone, if you don't want to be humbugged, but rather follow the advice of those having experience.

I have written this article on horticulture in Stearns county with much pleasure and a great desire to render a service to horticulture in general and to our planters in particular. Should our farmers and townsmen find it help- ful in their fruit-growing, I would consider myself well rewarded for this work.

(Written at St. John's University, Collegeville, Minn., December 30, 1914, by the Rev. John B. Katzner, O.S.B.)

THE BELGRADE STATION.

It will perhaps be difficult to get a true report of horticulture in Stearns county from any one individual, speaking from conditions in his own neigh- borhood. Stearns is a large county with considerable range in altitude, slopes

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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY

and climatic conditions. This may sound extravagant but it is true relating to horticulture. Apples and practically all fruit do best on heavy soil and on the north slope of steep hills, and we might add on timber soil. Also the presence of bodies of water is of great value. All of these favorable conditions are found in some parts of the county while we might say they are wholly lacking in other parts. We therefore find fruit thriving in some parts of the county while in other parts there is hardly any to be found. The difference in elevation from the Mississippi river on the eastern boundary to the head- waters on the western borders of the county affects fruit growing to a con- siderable extent. The heavy soil on the north slope of a hill near a lake or river is the best location for apples and in such locations apples do very well in this county. Sandy soil, a fine sand all the way down, is not so good and in such localities fruit growing is not so successful, though the Compass cherry, a cross between a cherry and a plum, does best on sandy soil and possibly some small fruits, and it is possible that even some varieties of apples would do just as well on this kind of soil. Plums will probably succeed compara- tively better than apples on sandy soil. For a number of years, however, plums have been an uncertain crop throughout the state. Sandy soil under- laid with clean gravel, such as we have in this corner of the county, is per- haps the least favorable of all for fruit growing, and still there is a possibility that we may overcome difficulties here.

My father, who was the first settler in the southwestern corner of Stearns county, having settled here in 1859 or 1860, planted what was undoubtedly the earliest crab apple orchard in this part of the county. In my earliest recol- lection this orchard was in full bearing. Old settlers have told me that in the early days it was both a curiosity and a land mark. My father (C. H. Johnson, known best to old settlers by the name of Christian Sandvig) does not re- member when the orchard was planted, but remembers that it was bearing apples before the grass-hoppers came. This orchard perished, but my father continued to patronize the nursery agents liberally every year and has now an orchard of many varieties. My own orchard, while containing possibly a greater number of trees than any orchard in this vicinity, is comparatively young and most of the trees are not in bearing. The trouble on this soil seems to be that while fruit trees grow beautifully in favorable seasons when there is plenty of rainfall well distributed (and excessive rains seem to do no harm), drought becomes effective sooner on this light soil than on heavy soil and is perhaps responsible for most of the losses to both crop and trees. To correct this evil I have for a number of years been experimenting with irrigation with muck and it may be of interest to note that irrigation with muck has orig- inated in this county. Three times I have been called to talk to the State Hor- ticultural Convention on this subject. One of these articles is published in the Horticultural Annual for 1910, the other in 1911. The last article pre- sented at the last meeting has not yet been published. While much of my work up to date has been experiments to develop the best and most economical methods and necessary preliminary preparations I have proved to my entire satisfaction that irrigation with muck is both practical and economical. The idea is briefly described. When there is considerable need for water and rain

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does not come to supply that need, we irrigate by operating a suction dredge in the lake where there is four to ten feet of soft rich muck under the surface of the water. My dredge has a capacity of about 260 gallons per minute with a ten horsepower engine. While this seems a large quantity of water to pour out on dry land, it is really a very small dredge compared with suction dredges used to deep harbors and river channels, otherwise the pumping or dredging works very much the same as the large dredges. The discharge from this pump is forced from the dredge out in the lake to the shore and to the highest clevation of land on my farm through long pipes. From the outlet of the pipe the muck-laden water can be conducted to any or every part of my orchard and farm of 33 acres by gravity to water the trees and plants and enrich the soil.

(Written at Belgrade, Minn., December 21, 1914, by C. R. Sandvig.)

THE PAYNESVILLE STATION.

All the fruit recommended by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society can be grown successfully in Stearns county. Many other varieties can be grown here and new kinds are being added yearly. The success we have had in Paynesville in raising fruit seems almost marvelous. Only a few years ago most people were satisfied to grow even enough crab apples for home use, but the present situation is very different. This was an "off year" for apples, but our orchard was fairly loaded with as fine fruit as could be grown any- where. The results were also very satisfactory as to plums and cherries. There are probably 300 trees of all kinds in bearing in our orchard. For small fruit, such as raspberries, strawberries, etc., no place has a better soil or cli- mate than Stearns county.

As to soil, location, etc., I would advise the use of a north or east slope, if possible; if your ground is level, use it; if there is neither a north or east slope nor level land, use what you have and raise fruit. Any soil that will grow good corn will grow good fruit if properly cared for.

Apple trees should be planted at least 20 x 25 feet apart (more is better) and well cultivated and cared for until they come into bearing, when the orchard may be seeded to clover but never to timothy.

In reply to the inquiry regarding nurseries, would say that we (Frank Brown & Son) have a nursery where is grown a complete line of trees, shrubs, and flowers. In the season there are 50,000 peonies, of over 125 varieties, in bloom .- (By Frank Brown.)

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CHAPTER XLI.

OFFICERS AND COUNTY SEAT REMOVAL.

Proposed County of Franklin-The Vote in Detail-Other Efforts at Division of County-Attempt to Remove County Seat to Albany-County Officers of Stearns County from 1855 to 1915.

County division and county seat removal .- At the 1872 session of the leg- islature a bill was passed to establish the county of Franklin, with the county seat at Sauk Centre. The territory to form the proposed new county included twelve townships to be taken from Stearns county, viz: Ashley, Raymond, Getty, Grove, North Fork, Crow Lake, Crow River, Lake Henry, Lake George, Spring Hill, Melrose and Sauk Centre, to which would be added eight town- ships from the southern part of Todd county. The act provided that the ques- tion of the establishing of the county of Franklin should be submitted to the voters of the two counties for their approval or rejection at the next general election. The result in Stearns county was the defeat of the proposition by a majority of 1,663 out of the 2,169 votes cast. The vote by townships was as follows :

Ashley, for 30, against 0; Albany, for 6, against 66; Avon, for 4, against, 1; Brockway, for 1, against 0; Crow Lake, for 30, against 3; Eden Lake, for 0, against 24; Fair Haven, for 0, against 62; Getty, for 25, against 31; Grove, for 5, against 83; Holding, for 0, against 61; Krain, for 0, against 24; Lake Henry, for 1, against 28; Le Sauk, for 0, against 55; Luxemberg, for 0, against 0; Lynden, for 2, against 53; Maine Prairie, for 1, against 103; Mun- son, for 0, against 137; Melrose, for 9, against 56; Millwood, for 0, against 49; North Fork, for 45, against 5; Oak, for 0, against 63; Paynesville, for 6, against 45; Raymond, for 23, against 14; Rockville, for 2, against 62; St. Cloud City, for 1, against 397; St. Cloud town, for 0; against 115; St. Augusta, for 0, against 110; St. Joseph, for 0, against 0; St. Wendel, for 0, against 68; St. Martin, for 0, against 42; Spring Hill, for 1, against 67; Sauk Centre, for 61, against 0; Wakefield, for 0, against 19; Zion, for 0, against 73. Total, for 253, against 1,916.

The creation of the new county did not appear to excite any special de- gree of interest, as only a total of 2,169 votes were cast both for and against, while the vote for president totaled 3,053.

The majority in Todd county against the formation of the new county was 232.

In 1887 a bill for the division of the county was introduced in the house of representatives but failed to reach general orders.

In 1913 the people of Albany made a vigorous and determined effort to secure the removal of the county seat of Stearns county from St. Cloud to that village. A systematic canvas was made for signatures to the petition to the board of county commissioners asking that a date be fixed for an election to

COUNTY OFFICERS

Top Row-Attorney Paul Ahles, Treasurer Chris. Schmitt, Sheriff B. E. Schoener. Judge Albert H. Klasen, Surveyor Samuel S. Chute. Register of Deeds John Lang.

Middle Row-Court Reporter Philip N. Woodward, Probate Bottom Row-Clerk of Court Henry .T. Limnerich Sumnerin-

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decide the matter, more than the necessary number of names being secured. The proper legal notices were posted, and November 12 the matter came be- fore the board. W. W. Barron, of Melrose, and Harris Richardson, of St. Paul, appearing for the petitioners and J. D. Sullivan, R. B. Brower and Theodore Bruener, of St. Cloud, for the remonstrators. Mr. Richardson remained and took part in the proceedings the first day only. Mr. Sullivan questioned the jurisdiction of the board on the ground that the notice of the meeting had not been published in all the papers in the county, as required by law, it being held that the daily and weekly editions of the St. Cloud Times and Journal- Press were separate and distinct publications, while the attorney for the peti- tioners contended that the separate editions constituted but one paper. The objection was not further pressed by the St. Cloud attorneys.

The petition for the removal election contained 4,715 signatures, the re- quired number-sixty per cent, of the vote cast by males at the last preceding general election being 3,995. But at the same time there was filed by the St. Cloud attorneys a list of 1,188 persons who had signed the original peti- tion and who now asked to have their names stricken off. The Albany attor- hey thereupon filed a list of 421 who had signed the revocation and now asked to have their names reinstated on the original petition. In order to have a correct result and to expedite the work the board of commissioners on the morning of the second day appointed L. C. Dueber, J. J. Spaniol, Raymond Bruning, Joseph Doyle and Joseph Eich as special counting clerks to count and index the names in the revocations and reinstatements, the county audi- tor's count of 4,715 on the original petition being accepted as correct. The board voted that no more revocations or reinstatements would be accepted, which action was agreed to by both sides. On the fifteenth Mr. Barron asked to be allowed to copy the names on certain remonstrance lists as the legality of the signatures was questioned. This was objected to by Mr. Brower by reason of the agreement which had been entered into that the whole matter be left with the county board, and the board thereupon voted that all papers then on file be left in the custody of the county board, without interference, until the count was completed. When, after further adjournments, the board met on the morning of November 18, report was made that the counting and indexing of names had been completed. Mr. Barron asked to be furnished with a list of the Melrose revocations for the purpose of investigation, believ- ing them to have been obtained fraudulently. Objection was made by Mr. Sullivan. An opinion being asked from County Attorney Ahles this official said that, all previous agreements being considered, the matter rested with the county board. After some further discussion, the board adopted a reso- lution to the effect that, because of there being an insufficient number of names on the petition-3,929, while 3,995 were necessary-it be rejected, thus dis- posing of the matter.

County Officers of Stearns County. From the incompleteness of the records in the earlier days it has been practically impossible in the case of some of the county officers to learn accurately the period of service. The following list, prepared with much care and after careful search and examina- tion, is as complete and correct as it has been possible to make it :

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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY

County Auditor. Charles Ketcham, 1855 to 1858. John McDonald, elected but resigned. J. W. Reed, 1859 to 1862. Edward D. Atwater, 1862 to May 11, 1863. Jos. P. Wilson (appointed May 11, 1863) to 1864. Barney Voss- berg, 1864 to 1889. Robert Lutz, 1889 to 1891. Barney Vossberg, 1891 to 1895. Philip J. Gruber. 1895 to 1903. John C. Crever, 1903 to 1909. John P. Rau, 1909 to October 19, 1913 (deceased). Nicholas Thomey, October 21, 1913 to 1915 (re-elected).

County Treasurer. Robert B. Blake, 1855. John W. Tenvoorde, 1856 to 1859. John H. Linneman, 1859. Joseph Broker, 1860 to 1862. John W. Tenvoorde, 1862 to 1864. Andrew Schroeder, 1864 to 1870. Mathias Gans, 1870 to 1878. J. A. Moosbrugger, 1878 to 1891. Bertus Mueller, 1891 to 1897. Charles Dueber, 1897 to March 13, 1900 (resigned). A. L. Cramb, March 13, 1900, to January, 1901. Chris Schmitt, 1901 to 1915 (re-elected).

Sheriff. L. B. Hammond, April 9 to June 14, 1855. Henry Witzheimer, June 14, 1855, to January 9, 1856. Joseph Edelbrock, 1856 to 1859. Jacob E. Tenvoorde, 1859 to May 3 (resigned). H. G. Fillmore, May 3, 1859 to January 3, 1860. M. Lauerman, 1860 to 1863. C. Grandelmeyer, 1863 to 1864. P. Beaupre, 1864 to 1866. M. Mickley, 1866 to 1870. T. C. Alden, 1870 to 1872. George Geissel, 1872 to 1878. M. Mickley, 1878 to 1888 (deceased). John P. Hammerel, 1888 to 1889. Andrew W. Kraemer, 1889 to 1891. John P. Ham- merel, 1891 to 1895. James E. McKelvy, 1895 to 1899. Fred Schilplin, 1899 to 1903. John P. Bernick, 1903 to 1907. Benjamin J. Moritz, 1907 to 1913. Bernard E. Schoener, 1913 to 1915 (re-elected). The first deputy sheriff of record was Chas. Ketcham at a term of the district court held April 9, 1867, although there were without doubt deputies who served prior to that time, the proceedings of the board of county commissioners as far back as October 30, 1856, show the allowance of a bill of sixty dollars rendered by Albert Evans for services as deputy sheriff. Other deputies following were Mathias Gas- pard, M. Lauerman, A. DeGroat, E. Robertson, P. L. Gregory, J. H. Dennis, John Schaefer, M. Mickley, Joseph Myers, Frank D. Hall and Joseph Mar- thaler, these prior to 1875.

Registrar of Deeds. Charles Ketcham, 1855 to 1860. Joseph Edelbrock, 1860 to 1862. John Zapp, 1862 to 1889. John M. Emmel, 1889 to 1909. Paul J. Beaudreau, 1909 to 1911. John Lang, 1911 to 1915 (re-elected). This is certainly a remarkable showing-only six registers of deeds from the organi- zation of the county in 1855 to 1919, which will be the end of Mr. Lang's pres- ent term. This is due largely to the long periods during which John Zapp and John M. Emmel had the office.

County Attorney. Henry C. Waite, 1855 to 1860; James M. McKelvy, 1860 to August 12, 1862 (resigned to enter the army) ; W. S. Moore, August 9, 1862, to 1863; S. B. Pinney, 1863 to 1864; William S. Moore, 1864 to 1865; Oscar Taylor, 1865 to 1866; James M. McKelvy, 1866 (resigned August 2, 1866, to accept appointment as judge of the District Court of the new Sixth judicial district) ; William S. Moore, 1866 (elected by the board of county commissioners September 4 to fill the unexpired term of James M. McKelvy, whose resignation was that day accepted); L. W. Collins, 1867 to 1868; Edwin M. Wright, 1868 to 1870; L. W. Collins, 1870 to 1872; Peter Brick,

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1872 to 1876; L. W. Collins, 1876 to 1880; Oscar Taylor, 1880 to 1882; D. B. Searle, 1882 to 1884; Theodore Bruener, 1884 to 1887; David T. Calhoun, 1887 to 1889; Oscar Taylor, 1889 to 1891; John D. Sullivan, 1891 to 1901; W. F. Donohue, 1901 to 1905; J. B. Himsl, 1905 to 1913; Paul Ahles, 1913 to 1915 (re-elected).

Judge of Probate. N. N. Smith, 1855 to 1856; Henry C. Waite, 1856 to 1860; W. D. Davis, 1860 to 1862; L. A. Evans, 1862 to 1876; Peter Brick, 1876 to 1878; L. A. Evans, 1878 to 1882; Peter Brick, 1882 to 1887; Theodore Bruener, 1887 to 1894 (resigned August 17, to accept registership of U. S. Land Office at St. Cloud) ; A. Barto, August 17, 1894 to 1895; Hubert Hansen, 1895 to 1901; D. T. Calhoun, 1901 to 1905; Hubert Hansen, 1905 to 1907; A. H. Klasen, 1907 to 1915; J. B. Himsl, 1915 (elected for four-year term).

Clerk of District Court. Taylor Dudley (Sauk Rapids), 1855; Charles Ketcham, 1856 to 1859; N. P. Clarke, 1859 to 1860; T. C. McClure, 1860 to 1861; N. P. Clarke, 1861 to 1863; L. A. Evans, 1863 to 1867; G. S. Mattoon, 1867 to 1871; E. B. Strong, 1871 to 1887; A. L. Cramb, 1887 to November 22, 1902 (resigned) ; E. P. Barnum, 1902 (appointed November 22) to January 23, 1903 (deceased) ; Herman Mueller, January 23, 1903 to 1907; Henry J. Limperich, 1907 to 1915 (re-elected). The first deputy clerk of record was T. C. McClure in 1859, continuing until September, 1861, when he was suc- ceeded by H. C. Waite, who served until April 7, 1862, when L. A. Evans served for one year, or until he was elected clerk of the court. E. M. Wright was deputy at the July 19, 1864, term of court, and no other name appears until that of Nathan F. Barnes, October 1, 1867. George L. Hays was deputy September 25, 1869, and no other name is of record until the term of June 12, 1880, when J. R. Bennett, Sr., became deputy for a period which extended over many years.

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History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 8

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843- Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper Number of Pages: 1110

Author: Mitchell, William Bell, 1843-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : H. S. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1110