Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-21
FARMERS AND FRUIT GROWERS
Southwestern Iowa Horticultural Associa-
tons Annual Session.
DISPLAY OF APPLES THE FEATURE so FAR
over One Hundred Varieties of the
Luscious Fruit Entered in the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
is Unusually Large.


The twenty fourth annual session Of the
Southwestern Iowa Horticultural society
opened yesterday morning in the county
court house with an attendance that augurs
well for the success OF the three days
meeting. The sessions are being held In the
superior court room, which As redolent with
the fragrance Of hundreds Of luscious look
ing apples, spread on Immaculate white
plates covering a numbe Of long tables and
forming the exhibit for which the society
offers several handsome premiums. The APP
pies. Of which there are over $50 different
varieties, are naturally the pick Of their
kind and with their coats polished till they
shine. they form a very tempting and ap-
petizing array. The showing of fruit, how
ever, compared with some former years, is
light, and this Is due to the fact that this
has been an off year with the apple crop in
this section Of the country. Probably what
will prove to be the biggest exhibit at the
meeting Ia that of Polk county, which rs
In charge OF B. Stuart Of Ivy, la. In this
exhibit there are seventy varieties of apples
and the entire exhibit forms a very hand
some display. 1t is laid out on two long
tables in the judges room adjoining the
court room. Mr.. Stuart has, besides, an in
dividual exhibit of forty varieties grown IN
his own orchard. Another exhibit from
Polk county Is the individual display of w.
.. Chaplin, who shows some twenty differ
ent varieties Of the fruit with which Adam
was tempted. Most Of the exhibits will not
be in place before this afternoon, but when
all are laid out they will make quite an
Imposing and, at the same time, interesting
display.
When the opening session was called to
order by D.. w. Lotspiech of Wood5ine, pres
ident Of the society. there was a liberal
delegation from the Nebraska State Horti-
cultural society, several Of the leading Of
fees Of the Iowa state society, some fifty
members of the society and prominent fruit
growers IN attendance. Among those prcs-
ent were fruit growers from Glenwood, At
lantic. Woodbine and Corning and several
members of the Douglas County Horticu1-
tural society from Omaha and the Potta-
wattamie County Fruit Growers associa-
ton.
Much OF the morning session was devoted
to the directors reports from the six sup
dlstrlcts covering twenty-six counties IN
Iowa. These reports showed
that while there had been a general allure
In the apple crop, small fruits had done
exceptionally we'll. They showed that the
interest IN the cultivation and marketing Of
small fruits was increasing and the re-
ports from most sections were good "a "a
the fruiting of peaches, pears and other ten
der classes Of fruits. The culture of the
peach has been increasing steadily for the
last three seasons and much interest is be-
ing manifested by fruit growers in this line
Of work.
Grapes, grape-growing. marketing and
pruning were the subjects discussed at the
morning session, the discussions being led
by Hon. Silas Wilson Of Atlantic, Alexander
Wood OF Council Bluffs and G.. H. Barnard,
secretary OF the Nebraska society. E.. A.
Hess of this city told Of the best methods
OF raising vegetables with fruit growing and
l.. o. Williams. secretary OF the Council
Bluffs Fruit Growers association. read an
interesting paper on gooseberries and cur
rants.
The afternoon session was principally de-
voted to the discussions Of the home and
culinary uses Of fruits, in which Mrs. Silas
Wilson and Mrs. R. D. McGeehon of At
lantic. Mrs. w. M. Bomberger OF Harlan
and Mrs. w. Leverett Of this city took pa,t.
George S. Bacon of Des Moines. who has
large orchard interests in Harrison county,
gave an interesting talk on the treatmen,
Of old orchards. Rev. G. G. Rice Of this
city and o. w. Rich OF Atlantic told OF the
best methods to grow raspberries.
The program at the evening session. which
attracted quite a number of outsiders, par
took largely of an educational nature and
proved more interesting for the public at
large than the technical subjects treated at
the other sessions. Prof. H.. B. Hayden,
superintendent Of the city schools. and
County Superintendent Sawyer delivered the
principal addresses of the evening, the,
both talking on Mature Studies in Public
Schools" w. s.. Keeline told Of how homes
could be made more attractive and G. A.
Marshall, president Of the Nebraska State
Horticultural society. followed with a talk
on the horticultural Advantages Of Farm
Houses" Major w. H. Spera reviewed the
progress Of horticulture during the last forty
years.
Peaches and Strawberries will be the prin.
cipal subjects for discussion this morning
and In the afternoon j. f. Record Of Glen
wood and Hon. George H.. VanHouten OF
Lenox will talk on apple storage, a subject
that is Of more than ordinary interest to all
owners of orchards.