Nebraska advertiser., 1869-08-19
Among Nebraska Fruit.

growingin Nebraska, we confess TO
very great and agreeable surprise at
what our own eyes have beheld the
present season. The past few weeks
1t has been our good fortune to visit
several extensive growing orchards in
Otoe and Nemaha counties. While
sojourning in Nebraska City a few
days last week, in company with Mr..
Waters of the Chronicle, and Mr..
Morton of the NelOs, we visited the
farm and orchard of the latter named
gentleman. Mr.. Morton has eve been
q devoted friend Of Agriculture in all
It's branches, and has expended time,
means and labor, to practically dem
Onstrate his ideas.
His faith in fruit growing in Ne
braska led him to plant trees as early
as ten, twelve and fourteen years ago.
A look through his orchard now, and
we have the evidence Of a rich re-
ward for his labor.
We speak in this article particularly
of apples, for most persons of a few
years residence here are convinced
that we can raise peaches and pears to
satisfaction but have doubts as to the
ample. InMr. Morton's orchard there
are to be found in great p%rOfusiOn
nearly all the varieties of apples
termed hardy and half hardy in most
fruit growing sections, The delicious
Pippin and Bellfowers were grow
ing in greatest p~rOfusion and excel
lence. He has about one thousand
apple trees, most of them in bearing.
He also has a fine display pears, the
trees Ofwhich many are OUer-6UTthened
with fruit. Also a good start of peach
es and grapes, the former not yet in
bearing.
Mrs. Morton, too, is an enthusiast
we use the term enthusiast because we
like il in connection with fruits and
flowers, and it is so expressive of de-
VOtioR-in relation to flowers and
fruits, especially the former.
Not long since ovr friend Country
joe" Of the Press, was out looking
about the "Morton Place." and in
giving an account of it stated that he
saw Mrs. Morton's tracks about the
house ~
We found the finest display Ofgreen-
house plants under Mrs. MortOn's
charge we have seen anywhere, and
presume that was what Country Joe"
meant when he spoke of "Mrs. Nor
toms tracks. The selection was fine,
both of greenhouse plants and those
in the grounds surrounding the resi-
dence. Beside they give abundant
evidence of skillful management and
cultivation.
After getting through the orchard
and flowers, and taking a look at Nor
toms John Wentworth hogs, we par
took of refreshmements spread by the
''good lady of the house," Mrs. Nor
ton Joined our party, and we visited
the farm of J. E Shepherd, about two
miles north of Nebraska City. Here
Is where we met with our great sur
prise. Here we found an apple ORCH
ard containing SeUeR thousand trees 4;
about two thousand of which are now
bearing. Mr.. Sheppard thinks he
will have three thousand bushels of
apples to sell this season. His esti-
mate in our opinion is low. Very
many trees have already broken down,
others propped up, and many mor
needing it.
He showed us One tree, which he
says yielded him twelve bushels last
year, and he thinks there are now
more apples ON it than then.
There is not atree in the orchard over
ten years old. The orchard was plan
ted, we recollect, by James Gregg, in
1859 go.
This orchard is planted on the high
est ground anywhere near the city
on the very highest and most exposed
land in the vicinity.
We found in this orchard in profu-
sion and greatest perfection, White
and Yellow Bellfower, Summer Pear
main, Pennsylvania Red Streak, Red
Astrachan, Rambo, Red June, Linn
Der Twig, Maiden's Blush, Rhode
Island Greening, Jannetin, Early
Harvest, Russets, a number varieties
finest and largest Pippins, Gillifower
Wine Sap and many others, the
names of which we do not now re-
member. We have never seen such
acrOp Of Wine Saps anywhere. The
trees We're all literally breaking
down." Many varieties were flourish
ing in this orchard that are termed
tender in most localities. The trees
were planted, not over fifteen feet
apart, and the ground is mostly set
in clover. Mr.. SheppBrd is not what
we call a "fruit man." but knows
how to value his fine orchard. He
has also several hundred Early Rich
mOnd cherry trees, which produced
heavy crops this season. He is also
planting Dwarf Pears and Grapes.
These facts are demonstrated in this
orchard; LIST, that fruit will grow in
Nebraska; I'd, that the higher the
ground the better, and4th, that all this
can be done sDitbOUt any extra pains
beingtGken!
The next day we visited the garden
of MI. Peetring in Nebraska City,
where we found the best arraigned
little vineyard we have seen. Della
ware, Diana, Hartford Prolific, Con-
cord, Isabella and Cawtaba vines were
hanging full as could be. They were
well trained and pruned.
Mr.. Smith near the city has a -four
ishing vineyard Of about five thous-