Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-01-17

The Otero County horticultural So
ciety met Saturday last. having tho larg-
est attendance in the history OF the or
ganization. r. o. McClain, President,
was in the chair and Frank Crowley,
Sec.
J. L. Gauger read the following paper
Cherry Culture In the Arkansas Valley.
Tho cherry is one of our most esteemed
stone fruits and is supposed to be a ma
tive OF Syria. 1t has been cultivated and
domesticated until it now grows from the
tropical climate to the extreme northern
steppes OF Russia.
The two principal varieties in COM
merce are what is known as the sweet
and sour cherry, of which the sour is by
far the hardest.
I have tried only the sour varieties and
with these have succeeded beyond my
most sanguine expectations. have
early and late Richmond, Suda's hardy
and MontmOrency Ard, planted from four
to six years, that have produced good
crops for the past three years. have
not tried any of the sweet varieties but
have seen them growing and fruiting in
this vicinity, For n commercial orchard
plant the SOUR varieties. The trees do
best on sandy loan, not too rich, as
they then make too much wood growth
ut the expense OF fruit. plant my trees
in rows 20 feet apart with trees six feet
asunder in rows.
Head low and prune but little. Trees
require but littlo water after the first
season but give them good cultivation.
Wore going to make speciality of any
one particular kind of fruit l would take
the cherry in preference to all others
And this for various reasons. One is
that it has shown itself less liable to
disease and has fewer insect pests than
any kind OF fruit 1 have tried. Another
is its extreme hardness and certainty OF
fruitage. Besides it is very profitable
crop. Instances are on record where it
has paid as high rs 81 900 per acre. Birds
are the cherrys greatest enemy but 1
planted my orchard also planted three
quarters of a milo of Russian mulberry
hedge for wind break. The second
year the trees commenced bearing and
have borne bushels of berries every year
since. The birds are particularly fond
Of them, and as they begin ripening be-
fore tho cherries, and continue for about
eight weeks, the birds have all they can
do eating mulberries while l pick the
cherries. Another point in favor Of the
cherry is the season in which it ripens,
coming in, as it does, just after straw
berries and raspberries it finds ready
market and your crop is gathered and of
your hands the first part Of the season
and brings in revenue at time of the
year when money comes in pretty good
place.
In some parts Of Europe cherries form
one OF the staple articles of diet, and that
it will be one OF our chief crops here in
the near future, have no doubt. So to
those who contemplate planting trees I
would say, do not forget the cherry.
Plant the Richmonds Montmorency, Ard,
Suda's hardy, Wragg, and Osthimer and
You will not miss it. They is no danger
Of over supplying the market. But
should this be the case we havo a canning
factory in our midst that will take care
ries will find ready sale when lots of
other fruits are a drug on the market.
And now word to our society and I
done: Do You each feel that you are do
ing all you can to encourage the fruit
industry OF our valley? Remember, that
it is not merely attending our meetings
and learning what you can for yourselves
but teach it to your neighbor and yonr
neighbor's children. While I would be
glad to see every man in the county at
tend our meetings, yet it is deplorable
fact that but a small per cent of those
who have trees planted meet with lIs.
Now let us be up and doing. Let us en-
courage, persuade and educate where we
can. Let us make every man believe
that it is to his interest to attend our
meetings and especially 80 to plant trees.
What makes horticultural lands in some
parts of our valley sell for as high rs
u ,250 per acre? Not that it is any better
than ours, but it is because the owners
make others believe that it is not only
tho best fruit country on earth,' but that
it is paying investment Hence I would
say, encourage everybody to plant fruit.
Remember, that the more we have plant
ed the more we will grow, and the moro
will our country be advertised. This
will create demand not only for our
fruits but for our lands, and in the near
future You will see the highest develop
ment OF horticulture in the Arkansas
valley here in Otero county.
Mr.. Gauger said that most of his Rus
sian mulberries were small but he had
few trees which were very fine. They
grow readily from cuttings and he would
be pleased to furnish slips to all who
wanted his best variety.
ID. ID. Norton also had some very large
Russian mulberries. Mr.. Gibson said
that the trees would take better shape
il cut down to the ground after the second
year which would cause thom to grow
more shapely.
Mr.. Gibson said that hail was no more
frequent here than in the east.
J. @. Kahn distributed some remark
ably fine specimens of Wine Sap and
Missouri Pippin apples.
Horticultural Inspector Kahn read to
the society from one of the cards which
the Horticultural Board is sending to
fruit growers, directing them to keep
their orchards free from trash, ETC., and
to spray at the proper times. He made
an enthusiastic speech in favor of activity
in regard to the prevention of insect
pests, and asked for rising vote pledg-
ing all present to cooperate with the
board in their efforts to suppress injnrious
insects. The pledge asked was given by
the large number present almost unani-
mously. MIR. Kahn says that no horticul-
turist has right to allow worms to grow
in his orchard to the detriment Of his
trees.
r. o. McClain was in favor of enforc-
ing the law if orohardists did not do the
work themselves. j. E. Gauger said
that the board had the power to compel
owners of fruit trees to keep them free Of
insects, and if moral suasion was not ef-
fective he would favor rigid enforce
ment of the law.
E. N. Berry said that the use Of band