The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-03-30
Mr.. Hillenmeyer's Forecast or The Fruit
Prospect. -
LEXINGTON, KY, March 90, 49,

LEXINGTON, KY, March 90, 1897.
EDS. BOURBON NEWS:
accept with pleasure your kind in
vitation to gossip about fruit and fruit
prop .cts with your many readers. many
of wnom ! know personally.
At this writing everything Is in per-
feet condition, and there is no reason
why the Summer of 1897 should not sur
pass that of 90 in full yields of fruits,
large and small Beginning on May 90,
1895. at which date closed drought OF
1--WE years standing, every condition has
favored perfect development of tree and
bud.
: The same laws that apply to the de-
velopment of animal life, apply equally
to the lower domain, and we all know
that pinching want and lack of food,
fire and raiment are not the conditions
under which are developed the best
specimens of physical or intellectual
manhood. In the same way long con-
timed drought, arid winds. intense
cold al d 1eeply frozen earth, devitalize
plant lie and diminish its capabilitY to
perfect the two great purposes of it's
existence-tte continuance of individual
life and its extension by senination.
OF these two impulses that of self
preservation of course stands first.
Bourbon county is pre-eminent in
acreage of bluegrass, but since '92 the
seed crop has been scant, because be-
tween Fall drought and largely deficient
rainfall throughout, the plants have
had strug lie for indisiiral maint' =
nance, and have been unable to gather
the material to perfect seed in large
quantity 1t is around these same con-
ditions that the fruit crops during the
same period have been so deficient in
certainty, size and quality.
The character of fruit crop is de-
termined in large measure the year pre-
ceeding, at the time the buds are de-
veloped. This is generally in August
and September, and we may rest assured
that if conceived in poverty and want
of nourishing conditions that a long
shadow is cast before that can lift only
by the continuance of fostering circum-
stances afterwards. The Fall of '96 was
so favoring in every way that all classes
Of fruit trees and plants are in perfect
condition to do their best. Apples and
pears were scarce last year and as these
bear only in alternate years, of these
the crop will likely be bountiful.
The stone fruits bear full crops con-
tinously, and the abundant peach crop
last year in no way dimiDishes the chance
ofits repetition this year. The severe cold
about January Dist thinned the blossom
buds, as did the present frosts, but the
provision of nature is always 80 generous
that We are Yet in line for a better out
come than last year.
Have your readers ever noticed that
the exec, sive blooming of fruit trees
generally portends either scant or de-
fective crop? The horescence and the
development of seeds are exceedingly ex-
haustiYe to tree. When trees bloom
moderately, and fruit in equal measure,
both quantity and quality are apt to be of
the best
Cherries and plums follow the same
law as the peach, but for these there
was rather too much rain last Summer,
There may be an abundance OF Ameri-
can plums, and of the harder cherries,
but we may hardly expect so many of
TIE firer types - last year.
q The small fruits are in perfect con-
clifton and have the capability of yield
ing at their best The grape is the
every vine was empurpled or of gold
With the munificence of its yield, max
ing at the same time wood of superior
quality. If no untimely frost comes,
nor muggy weather, in June, we wiz
have repetition of last years album
| dance.
1t is we'll, however, to remember that
the fruit crop must yet run the gaunt.
let O. many dangers. Only once in fifty
years has the crop been frozen after
May LIST. but up to that date many
times. And then cold long continued at
blooming time is surely fatal, as also
protracted rains There was no frost in
the Spring of 1858, only cold rain day
after day. and there was no fruit crop.
How it will be this year no one knows,
but It present the prospect is certainly
as good as might be. Yours truly,
81. f. HILLENMEYER.