Decorah-posten., 1898-09-16

rhe Advantages Of the Fruit
Grower.

There are few vocations in lif,
that present so many advantage,
to those that engage in them a,
truit-growing. Though the labor
IS arduous, the remuneration j.
fair and the occupation healthy
Moreover, the State and Nationa.
Governments, recognizing the
Importance of the Horticultural
interests of the country, do every.
thing in their power to advance
them. Experiments are made at
trial stations and the results re-
/. ported upon at regular intervals.
, Experiment stations are located
in various parts Of the states,
different soils are tested, new fruits
undergo a trail as regards their
adaptability to the climate, new
methods of culture are put to the
test, in short, everything is done
to save the horticulturist time and
trouble. In other callings men
have to buy their own experience,
often at a considerable sacrifice of
time and money. Nor does the
states benehence stop here. The
details of the experiments which
are conducted by scientists trained
in horticulture arc published at
the expense of the commonwealth
and distributed laviShly. They
contain much valuable informa-
ton and this may be had for the
asking.
In addition to the states, the
national government employs a
large number of experts who are
constantly engaged in devising
means Of fighting insect pests and
otherwise protecting and aiding
the business of the fruit grower.
As is well known, the literature of
the Department of Agriculture is
likewise distributed free OF charge.
The lawyer, the doctor, yea
even the clergyman. must pur-
chase their own reading matter at
considerable expense, owing to its
limited circulation, but the fruit
grower gets his for nothing. All
he has TO do to obtain more
reading matter than he can peruse
in a month is to address a request
to the representatives of his
district in the Legislature and con
gress and the literature is forth
coming.
But does he read2 ! fear that
halt of the fruit growers in the
United States do not take adj
vantage of their opportunities
already set forth, although they
could not put in the long winter
evenings to better advantage.
Horticulture has attained to such
perfection in California because
that the men engaged in it there
were OF the intelligent class and
made S of every Improvement
that was offered. And they did
it independently of their neigh
bors, too. They did not believe
in waiting to see what the next
mar would do.
| sincerely think that if the
same care were taken of Eastern
orchards that is bestowed upon
those of the Golden State, better
results would be obtained. In
California the orchards are kept
free of grass and cultivated
periodically. If any disease is
noticed on a tree, it is Immediately
sprayed Or fumigated. In every
the proper remedy is applied
without delay TO stamp out insect
pests. Whenever the horticulturist
in doubt as regard a disease af-
facing his fruit trees, he forwards
a leaf or a specimen TO an agricul-
tural experiment station or college
and by returned mail receives the
and directions for treat
ment. No other business or pro-
fessional man can do this. Coun-
sci, both the law and medicine, is
expensive.
If an irrigation plant were ad-
.ed to the outfit of our fruit grow
ers, it would also rebound to their
benefit as it would entirely do
away with the danger from
by which especially two
fruits are occasionally affected,
the apple and the pear.
There is a progressive fruit
grower near my home, who is a
great reader and who puts the re-
suit of his study into practice. He
takes great pride in his fruit-farm,
which is always in a~pple-pie or
der. He believes in intensive
farming and thorough cultivation.
This man is making money simply
because he is up to date, but he is
known throughout his county as
a lucky" fruit-grower, When
ever he hears of this title being
applied to him il affords him
great amusement, for he knows
tull we'll that what Others term
good fortune is merely the result
Of study and application. What
he has done others may do if they
1t is a marvel that some
Trees bear fruit at all, at they are
neglected after planting.
In summing up the advantages
the fr,it-nroUar the ba,.;c,,J /