The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-04-09
the ORCHARD.


Why Hitherto Unsuccessful Horticulturistl
should Not be Discouraged.
One of the interesting questions that
is perplexing many fruit growers over
the land is whether to plant again to
supply the places of the many trees
that have gone the way of all trees SO
prematurely. 1t is the opinion of many
persons, l am aware, that land devoted
to fruit growing has not brought as fair
return as that devoted to other crops.
And in not few cases this opinion is
well founded-especially as to the last
ten or twelve years, and in some local.
ties. Of pears the blight has almost
swept the land. Of plums, the curculio
has scared the planter in many instances
into consigning them to the brush pile.
O apricOts and nectarines the same
may be said. And the peach orchards
in many localities where formerly they
grew and bore luxuriantly are now to
be counted among the bygOnes. Many,
very many, despairing Of better day,
have decided to leave all these alone
forever. But while describing these,
they have not yet lost entire
faith in the apple. Yet the problem
whether it. too, shall 60. Is gradually
forcing itself upon their minds. 1t
can not be denied that tie prospect is
q gloomy one. What, therefore, shall
the fruit-grower do ia the matter?
Shall he give up fruit altogether that
best and most luscious of natures gifts
to man, and turn his attention again to
hog and hominy for food? Shall he
fold his arms and acknowledge himself
beaten in the struggle? My answer is:
Don't give it up so! "Try. try again"
Let us renew our energy and 90 to work
again-faith without works is dead; pat
on new armor and renew the battle.
The spider tried seven times before he
could bring the dead beetle to his nest;
let us plant at least seven times, and we
may succeed. Our first. our second and
even our third paintings have been
mostly at random: let us now profit BY
and where that is lacking,
keep on experimenting. No remedy is
yet known for the blight. Some of
these days that light will beam upon us,
and then we will have that valuable
fruit in abundance-for the pear is
otherwise hardy and fruitful Some
Of these days an effective
and easy remedy will be
found to counterfeit the depredations
Of the curculiO. and then we shall have
plums and apricots again. At an I'M
expected period, some investigator will
ind out just what is the matter with
our soils, that renders our apple orch
ards so shOrt-lived and fruitless; some
enemy will destroy or drive away the
'odling moth; then apples will redden
IN our trees once more from year to
rear.
While planting. let us make use of the
we have acquired. One :
,reat cause of our frequent failures in
he past has been that we did not make |
!se of the knowledge we possessed.
We know that certain processes will, if |
lot wholly eradicate, at least greatly
essen the evils complained of; yet we
10 not apply them. We charge Provi-
lence with some of the failures which
belong to ourselves. Above
ii, let us continue our Investigations;
~ new methods of culture-new varie-
les, new applications to our soils, new
principles in propagation-and then il
re fail, it will be satisfaction to know
hat the fault is not Our Own.-Cor.
'rairie Farmer.