Nebraska advertiser., 1878-01-24
ANNUAL ADDRESS
OF r. W. Furnas Before the State
Horticultural Society.

| Soclety:
| assure you that IL is with no ordi-
nary degree of pleasure l welcome
you to this important meeting, aud
congratulate the friends aud co-labor-
ers of horticulture in Nebraska upon
the successful results which have fol-
lowed and crowned faithful and per-
sistent efforts, especially in pomolo-
gy. To the few who entered upon
the doubtful and uncertain enterprise
OF fruit growing in Nebraska twenty
four years ago, as well rs those who
have Joined In labors from time to
time since, there is M uch to be proud
of. Through the efforts of this organ
lied society, we have not only taken n
place among the prominent butan ad
vanced position in the front ranks Of
competitors, not only in
the United States but In the world
Providence has been exceedingly law
ish with natural surroundings, aud In
most sections OF the state, enterprise
and energy have utilized TO an unusu-
al extent these advantages. Having
been one of the few TO iuau3urate
fruit growing in the territory a con-
tinuous participant In lahors produc-
ing results narrated and an eye witness
to each step of progress made, may
be pardoned for an exhibition of SEEM
ing egotism on this occasion.
In casting the minds eye back over
the years since We first began, and
calling over the names of fruit
growing pioneers. 1t is pl easant to
know, aud cause for gratitude TO the
l nf D;f Aot
In fact a msjority of them-hsve been
spared to behold the great results so
few years have produced. Our fruit
exhibition at the last State Fair was
so magnificent in all it's proportions
that even the most devoted and san
guine friends could not be made be-
lieve without seeing. An instance
actually occurred verifying this asser-
tion, which Is worthy OF narration
and record. One of the oldest citizens
of the Territory and State firm. de-
voted friend and oo-lsborer from the
beginning, In matters of fruit growing.
forestry and other developing agen-
cies, resident over half a hundred
miles from the Fair, hearing the mar
velous reports of our exhibit. could
not believe IL possible. He came and
saw. His exclamation was like unto
that of the Queen ofSheba to King Sol
omon on the OCCASION of her famed v isit
to that man of renown; ut was q
true report that heard in mine own
: land! Howbeit, I believed not the
words until mine eyes had seen it.
Behold, the half was not told me-"
The general fruit crop of 1877 has
been uniformly good W here trees were
. old enough to bear. We never enjoy
ed such magnificent apple crop.
The cold spring weather Injured
J peaches to such an extent that there
was an imperfect yield. Specimens,
however, were fine as could be desir-
ed. Prices have been good. Apples
ranged from IS cents to 81 so per bush
: ell. The apple yield in many instan-
5 ces was wonderful. / have personal
: knowledge of trees fourteen years old.
} yielding twenty-eight bushels to the
J tree, and sold at one dollar per bushel.
5 One orchard Of 235 trees, at fourteen
t years cid, gave total crop Of ], ,40C
t bushels and sold at one dollar per
= pushel. This was 500 each year for
= the fourteen consecutive years, from
3 the date of planting. say nothing OF
r the preceding years. say from eight
/ years from planting to date OF yield
named. Trees older. yielded in instan-
ces as high as thirty-two bushels to
the tree, actual measurment. /, my
self gathered the past season, four
/ bushels of apples from trees eight
years old from graft. One farmer
: know in my own county-Nemaha-
had one hundred trees. eighteen years
! old that averaged twenty bushels to
. the tree. These trees were planted
about one hundred to the acre-too
t close-and shows an income In a sin
: gle season Of two thousand dollars
) per acre.
! The grape crop was very heavy, and
& brought good prices-four to fifteen
, cents per pound. More plums, prunes,
apricots and nectarines were raised
! the past year than ever before. The
cherry crop. for the reasons affecting
= peaches, was light, in fact, near q fail
re.
am unable to obtain and present
. reliable data as to the number of trees
2 and acres under cultivation in fruit in
! the State. Such inf ,rmauirn wo Id
he valuable, both to the society and "a
tHc DuUlIC Dut thuS
and uner existing Circumstances. seems
: to be out of our reach. The means OF
: obtaining 1t could be easily provided
by an amendment to the Revenue
laws. requiring assessors to attend TO
this with other duties. Such pro-
vision Is In existence in our sister
Safe. Kansas. The attention of our
legislature has been called to this mat.
. ter repeatedly. but without success.
Selecting United States Senator,
smelling State Institions. probing
character of members, and through
the medium of select committees, en-
deavorIng to determine the and new
vexed questions of who struck Pat
, terson," or "kiiled Cock Robin, ~
seemto engross the attention of the
latter day Legislators. When these to
them, overshadowing questions shall
have been disposed OF, Agriculture.
Horticulture, Immigration and other
kindred matters may, possibly, re-
ceiye passing notice.
At present date fruit buds indicate
an abundant fruit crop for 1878. The
fruit ordeal with us, however, Is yet to
pass-the warming influence OF the
season generally in February
and March, often followed by sudden
short and extreme cold.
/ had intended to present as por-
tion OF this my annual report. an
elaborate history of fruit growing in
Nebraska. At the earnest solicitation
OF Col. Wilder. president of the
American pomological society. for
publication as part of the proceed
ings of that society at the late meet
ing held at Baltimore In September
last, I prepared and submitted q report
on that subject. As that report has
already been published in the State
Agricultural periodical - Nebraska
Fdrmer-I will iet very brief refer
ence here suffice.
Rev. William Hamilton. now. and
FOR many years past. missioparv for
the Omaha indiana, located in the
northern part of this state. undoubt-
edly planted the first fruit tress In the