The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-03-07
MISCELLANEOUS.
Fruit Trees.

GAENAvILLo, Feb 18th, 1860.
Col. Richardson: My attention has been
called to an article in your paper, written
by Mr.. Noble, of your place, on the subject
Of Fruit trees, and, as he suggests, cheer
fully come forth to give my experience on
the subject.
Iperfectly agree with Mr. Noble in his
estimate of the loss Occasioned by the pur-
chase of fruit trees, in this county alone
and believe the estimate he makes will
hold good throughout the whole of the east,
ern half of our State; and when we take
this into consideration the computation be.
comes frightful indeed. Nor is this loss ex.
clusively confined to our own State-it ex-
tends throughout the entire West, to a great
er or less extent. Previous to the year
1856, had never seen but one instance OF
an apple tree being killed by what sup
posed to be cold weather. During the win
ters 1856 and 1857, the destruction of fruit
trees throughout large portion of the fruit
growing region of the United States, was
greater than was ever before known since
the first settlement of America. On the
west side of the Mississippi, from away
north it extended south to the middle por.
tons of Missouri, leaving scarcely an or.
chard in the whole State of Iowa and North.
ern Missouri free from the loss of trees
On the east side of the river, as far as my
information has extended, the loss and de-.
struction was greatest through the north
half of Illinois, the whole of Wisconsin,
the north half of Indiana, the whole OF
Michigan, the north half of Ohio, and ex-
tending east through Pennsylvania, large
portions of New York, and including all the
New England States.
So far as this statement concerns Iowa,
Illinois and Wisconsin, make it from per-
sonal observation, and my authority for the
other districts mentioned is from a source
equally reliable. And when remember
that these portions of the United States are
the best for fruit-growing, and when, as l
am informed they have, since those years,
experienced the same difficulty in rearing
new orchards that Mr. Noble speaks of, in
stead of despending, take courage, and re-
plant my orchard. If the States | have
mentioned had escaped the calamities of
those years, and the destruction fell upon
Iowa alone; or if, since then, they had sue
ceeded and Iowa failed, then indeed would
feel discouraged.
Both summers previous to the winters
have mentioned, were wet and warm, and
consequently produced an unusual growth
of wood; both winters came on early and
prcmature-from extreme heat, the atmos-
this took place in both cases before the trees
had time to put on the yellow leaf. A large
quantity Of sap was consequently left in the
tree to freeze and thaw through the winter !;
this freeziug and thawing produced expan-
sion and contraction, as the mercury rose
OF fell, to an unusual degree. During both
winters, after the snow fell, we had severe
storm Of slcet, and in both cases it came
from the south this sleet strongly adhered
to the trunk Of the tree, and became, during
the extreme cold which followed, as clear as
glass this produced glistening and shining
surface not only over the ground, but upon
the tree itself, and had double effect upon
the tree, already overcharged with sap
The consequences were, destruction to the
most rapid-growing varieties; and many OF
these trees, which survived destruction out
right and fingered along for several years
after, had the bark killed on the south side
in streak exactly corresponding to the
width and length of the sleet which adhered
to them during those winters. e#
Such combination Of disastrous circum-
stances may never occur again in our life
time. Their effects are still felt, and it may
yet be several years before we will feel our
selves entirely free from their dreadful Ca
lamities. 1t is, therefore, in q great meas
ure, to those two years and the circumstan-
ces combined, that, in my humble opinion,
we must look for a solution Of Mr.. Mobiles
problem in regard to dead trees" and the
i'll success, since that time, in the culture Of
fruit Thousands of these dead trees were
dug up in the nursery and sold throughout
the whole country to the farmers, during
the springs following those destructive win
ters, and the consequences are, as Mr.. Noble
suggests, frghtful loss to the country
Many Of these trees, had they been left in