River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-09-28
Trnit at the Centennial.

4 letter from Philadelphia says
The genealogical and horticultural
part of the Centennial show is now
open. California sends two carloads
of apples, pears, peaches, grapes, figs,
and plums. They are all in good or
der, and the show is made by the Cal
ifornia grangeTs at heavy expense, a
previous shipment having decayed on
the road. The quality of the grapes
and pears is excellent. California APP
pies are second and third rate, and the
peaches are not extra. All the fine
sorts of grapes are shown, especially
the rasin grape, which is creating a
new industry.
No state excels Kansas in the size
and general appearance of apples. 1t
is to be noted, that growing of young
trees in a rich soil, the specimens are
finer than are likely to be hereafter.
The quality of such large apples is
never high. Nebraska has fine show
of really good apples and of pears and
grapes. Iowa also has large show of
great many varieties. Not many years
ago it was thought extremely doubtful
whether fruit could be grown in the
prairie states, for the trees died year
after year, or blew over in high winds (;
but after wedding out tender sorts and
giving better culture, success has been
achieved. The best crop of apples
grown this year in the United States
| is on prairies between 80 and 40 de-
grees of latitude. Wisconsin shows
nice apples and fair grapes. Ten years
ago grapes would not ripen in this
state now, in many places, they are
grown at great profit.
The most interesting and instructive
display of apples is from Minnesota,
embracing 60 varieties, though only a
| few are to be commended. A new
sort known as the wealthy" is ex-
| hibited, which is said to have as high
quantity as the Baldwin, while the tree
is more hardy than any other known
variety. The fruit is of good size and
and of high color. The process of
overcoming the many difficulties pre-
scented to fruit growers, where the
winters are so cold as in Minnesota is
to grow, first from the seed, then,
from year to year to select the hardi-
est. and then to select the quality.
The success attending this method has,
during the last "a years, had a remark
ably favorable result all through the
northwest.
Ohio has a good exhibit of pears, ap-
les, and grapes and other fruit. The
Ohio Horticultural society makes a
highly creditable display. Several
new grapes are shown which are like.
ly to develop merit. A cross between
the Concord and Delaware gives a
grape smaller than the Concord and OF
the same color, and of character in.
ferior to the Delaware.
Pennsylvania has fair show OF
pears that of apples is not large. New
Jersey has few individual exhibits
which are scattered here and there.
A new raspberry is presented as being
harder than any other. 1t looks like
the Philadelphia.
Massachusetts, presents 300 varieties
of pears. probably the best in quality
of all in the exhibition. The atten'
ton paid to pear culture in this state,
especially in the vicinity of Boston,
has produced many sorts much superb
or to the Bartlett. 1t is likely that the
soil is favorable. Connecticut has 9
good show of pears and apples, and
samples of the best Delaware grapes in
the exhibition. The District of Column
bia has a first-rate show of pears
From New York Elewanger & Barry
present full variety of all kinds OF
apples and pears. Michigan has the
best show of winter apples, as it well
may, for it has the most extensive ap
pie orchards in the world, though west
ern New York might dispute with her
Decidedly the best show, taking into
consideration variety, quality, number
and taste, is from Ontario, Canada
The region where the fruit exhibited
is grown is along the northern shores
of Lake Ontario, Niagara river, and OF
Lake Erie; and receiving the influence
of southwestern winds from over
those waters, it has "water climate
peculiarly favorable to fruit.
From this brief review it will be
seen that only small part of the
States are represented at this great
Centennial show. If there were moi
heavy duplicates of varieties the exhi
bition would be extremely meagre
even for a state fair. Perhaps there
was not sufficient advertising to the
fruit-growers of the country {; or, per
haps the deficiency arises from the
fact that none of the pOmologists OF
the country appear among the manag
ers.