Delta chief., 1885-10-07
TEE g1oErscuLrunAL SOCIETY.
Proceedings Gifts pmonin Meeting and
Some of the Exhibits.

| expressing tile truth in n mild way; it was
more thar that, and far exceeded the expec.
tatons of the most sanguine present, Upon
our arrival at 10 O'Clock quite number had
already arrived and the wagons well loaded
with men, women and children kept pouring
| in from all directions. and vegetable and
| fruit EXHIBITS kept arriving also, so that at
- o'clock grand display for Delta county
was spread to view.
Shortly after II the vast number of people
present were called to order by the president
Samuel Wade, Rev. Jas. a. Ilaycrait open.
ed the meeting with prayer, after which Rev
l.. G. Alley spoke somcwha ut length upon
.'Horticultural in General" His remarks
were extsmporaneous and in substance were
US follows
at is with feelings of pride that ! look
around me to-day and see so many who are
interested in this important subject OF llor-
ticulture. and every one seems to be happy,
surrounded with the resources of abundance.
What has been done in our county is but All
index of hat can be done. Thousands OF
fruit trees, grapes, etc, have been planted
that will bring fruit IN their time. When
, the bottom ranches, later and at the present
time the ranches OH the mesas are being TAX
up all around us. wish to congratulate
the people for showing so much enterprise
you have some immense exhibits to-day.
When count the days when the Indians
occupied the fields that are now filled with
corn it fills me with emotion. We conld
predict great things for the future but it is
not necessary. How proud We were to read
the report of the New Orleans Exposition
that the apples of Colorado were the finest
and hest favored and the longest keepers of
any apples presented. The East is becoming
more and more over populated, they are
looking to the West, and rs time passes the
fruit lands of Colorado will come in demand.
The soil on the bottom is richer than oil the
mesa. but the latter portion have frosts not
so early in the fall or so late in the spring,
but the crops on the bottom mature sooner.
A tree will grow twice MS much on the bot
tom the first year. 1t is the experience Of
every one, however, that everything else be-
ing equal put fruit on the high land. If
tree can be made to grow and get a start in
adobe it will do well. Our water resources
for irrigating are equal. But few years ago
horticulture IN Colorado WIS but u dream. 1t
| is no longer so. Now we can realize much.
| There are draw backs, however, that will
come-grass hopper plaques. There are at
mospheric and climatic clangrs that will
| have to be studied. We must study the soil.
| The question arises in regard to xlkali. How
can it be leached ont? We must also look
after the insects and other pests. Theories
are very beautiful, but in this country you
may theorize all day and it will avail moth.
ing. Experience is the greatest teacher.
young tree is like an infant, but let it grow
for five or six years and it is like = strong
body. 1t is not the severe winters that kill
our fruit as much rs the thawing and then
freezing. | never saw = acountry where fruit
needed rs little cultivating, and most Of it
gets but little. The adobe needs considera-
Bile stirring. Much is to be learned in regard
to pruning. do not believe in wholesale
slaughter of trees by pruning, the best prun-
ing knife is the thumb and finger. The best
time for pruning apples is when the leaves
are about as large rs the end Of the thumb.
Irrigation is another important subject
water should not run nearer than two feet
the Fl rst year, the second year three feet from
apple trees. Some require more water than
others. Do not water later than the middle
of August. In selecting trees two thing are
important-hardness and eariness. The
Dutches OF Oldenburg, Sops of Wine, Wealthy
Haas, Pewaukce and Ben Davis are some of
the hardest varieties OF apples that would
recommend. The man who experiments in
the grating and growing of fruits is one of
the greatest bencfactor, oi the land.
The DeSoto plum is very good. For grapes
we would recommend the Concord us stand
ard, and no later variety than the latter
should be put out. The Champion and Eel
egraph are very early, Hartford, prolific and
Martha are fine grapes and are not high
priced Fancy grapes steer wade of.
After Mr.. Alleys address there was re-
cess of one hour, when the chickens, pie and
cake and every thing that was good 10 eat
disappeared in short order. After this inter-
estiDg part Of the programme was acconip
Iishcd, the president called the meeting 10
order and the minutes of the previous meet
ing were read and approved. Those present
were then favored witt, music by the choir.
Samuel Wade then gave very interesting
paper upon his experience in fruit culture in
Delta county and the winter care of the same
w. s. Coburn then read an exceedingly
profitable paper on fruit culture.