Nebraska advertiser., 1878-01-24

miles south OF the present Kansas
Nebraska line, and ABOUT the ssu,e
distance from lhs Missouri river. The
folio wing year he planted fruit seeds
he had brought with him, and after-
wards procured cions from his old
home, with which hs grated bis seed
lings. Stephen Story aud Rev. A.
Ballard planted few apple trees in
Richardson county, this state, in 1854.
The same season Christian Bobst
planted some in Pawnee county. In
1855 Rev. VIM. 3. Horn. now resident
near Lincoln, and Rev. John w. Hall,
planted apple trees in NeDaha coun-
ty. The same year Hon. Jas. II. Mas
ters, first president of this society,
planted in OtOe county. l 1853 Hon.
J. Sterling Morton planted in Otoe.
Thomas Gibson then in Dodge, now
in Washinton county, and myself in
Nemaha, planted the same season.
In 1857 Broad Cole planted in G ss
county. In 1853 DIR. h. Lowe plant
ed In Douglas county, aod Col, Stew
ems i'm Washington. The same year
| planted fifty Thousand apple gratis
i'm Nemaha. In 1859 and 1850 and
thereabouts quite number of persons
planted orchards. J. B. Judd, ]. w.
H0llinghead and l.. A. Stebbins.
Pawnee county; N. II. Rohwer and
James 8. Stewart, Washington coun-
ty; Perry Walker. Case; c. F. Eek
hart. Dacotah; James n Gregg, joel
Draper ami Armstrong. Otoe; Bird
Vowel, Alex. Mckinney and Steph-
en- Groesback. Nemaha, are personal
ly remembered.
The Nebraska State Horticultural
Society was organized at the State
Fair held at Nebraska City. Septe M
Der 29th, 1859. First officers: J. H..
Masters. president; o. P. Mason.
treasurer; r. w Furnas, secretary.
In addition TO these members. were j.
:. Morton, &. H. Walker, J Edwards,
J. H. Croxton. B. AIdrich. J. NJ. Tag
CART, A. Saunders, J. w Pierman, l..
A. Walker, d. Butler, F. A. Tisdel,
o. Harmon. ]. II. Gregg. ]. B. Wes-
ton, P. w. Hitchcnck, H. r. Ray
mond, G. B Graft and w. D. Wilson
(of Iowa.
To solve this fruit problem In Ne
hraska has not only cost a deal OF
time and labor, but actual money, in
experimenting aud determining what
varieties were reliable and best adapt
ed to the soil and climate. In talk
ing over this matter not long since
with one who has been and ardent
worker eXperimenter in the cause
from the com mmencement, in figuring
losses and costs Of experiments. the
al. hn1 hnf nj
tree in our orchards cost us less than
one hundred dollars each. Those
who plant trees to-day have only 10
avail themselves of the advantages
secured by early labors AID expert
mentors.
While. as I have before stated on
several occasions. | am convinced
that moEe natural surroundings for
succPsssful fruit g.Owing is To Ge
found in the river cOunties-those
bordering OH the Missouri river
there il no good reason to forbear. or
abandon efforts in any part of the
State. The soil of the bluff land
along the Missouri river. is that pecu-
liar an remark able deposit known in
geology as "loess," and produces
the very best fruit in the world. In
addition are the larger water surface of
the river and greater abun0aee Of tim
her all of W Hich produce climatic In
fiuence not found to such an extent
in any other portion of the State or
west. No one need fear, however,
satisfactory results in any portion o
Nebraska. where efforts are attended
with an equal amount of intelligence
and perseverance usually given 10 any
other successful manipulation in ag-
ricultural pursuits. None shonfd On-
dertake fruit growing anywhere, or
under any circumstances. unless they
are in love with the calling-love to
propogate as well as see and eat fruit
ready and willing to study and learn.
There is no less to he learned OF the
structure, nature. habits and general
characteristics of fruit tree than the
anatomy of the human frame. Indeed
in many respects there is great sim
ilarity. Therefore. undertake fruit
culture as everything else should be
understandingly and with care and
attention.
Fruit growing has become an i'm
portant factor in the protective inter
ests of the United States. and for ma
nv reasons, should be an equally I'M
portant feature in our own local inter
ests. In the old world. where the
soil has been manipulated for ceDtur-
les past, it's productive properties
have, to a very large extent. been eX-
hausted. Hence to the new world
they now look for the standard and
substantial neceszaries of life-corn
| wheat and meats. For the past two
wears particularly. our fruit products
have been taking the same direction.
| A brief mention of a facts need on
Iy here be made. One year ago last
month ninety thousand barrels Of ap-
ples grown in the United States land
ed i'm Liverpool inside of thirty days,
| Two and a half millions dollars worth
of American dried fruit was sold in
Europe during the last twelve months
New York City consumed 10, 600 bnsh-
els of stra " berries ina single dav the
mast season, and Cincinnti 5000 bush
| els in the same time.
To a corresponding extent the facts
referred to and existing between the
| old and the new world, are to be
found between the extreme east and
| west of our own land-the United
States. The soil in the older eastern
states has for years past shown nnmis-
taxable evidence of exhaustion and
decay. The capital and labor of that
section have been directed more to-
ward manufacturing than producing
life foods. The enterprise, labor and
virgin soil of the far west he
come producers This partial dfgress-
ion from the subject proper. is made tn
show the important productive inter
ests, to foster which this society was
organized and exists.
The Importance OF our horticulture
agricultural and genealogical socle-
ties are not fully appreciated. | some
times think. They have exefted
powerful influence both in the old
and new worlds. and have for many
years been shaping important inter
ests. The working membership Is
few in number. but there Is consola-
ton in knowing that "they who do
the drudgery are representatives OF
a vast host of men and women. both
in country and city. who are constant
uarkars and earnest cO ODeratOrS,