Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-07-13
HORTICULTURAL FACTS.
Varieties of Fruit Killed. Reasons
Fruit was Killed.

L. n. Taggart has furnished us with
the following valuable matter relative
to the fruit business which is of interest
to all:
Des Moines, Iowa, June "a, 1899.
Dear Sir:
Herewith inclosed You will find a
summary of the answers to the circular
letter sent to the members of the horti-
cultural societies in the state.
These reports show the extent of
the damage to the fruit trees and orna-
mental plants; and indicate some of
the causes that We're instrumental in
bringing about injury to the fruit trees.
Further inquiry may develop other
facts in regard to it.
Yours truly,
WESLEY GREENE.
That this office might be better in
formed as to the real condition of the
fruit industry of the state we sent a
letter of inquiry to all the members of
the State Horticultural Society and the
four auxiliary societies. We herewith
submit n summary of the replies re-
ceived in answer to this letter
Were trees, shrubs, vines and
herbaceous perenials injured i'll their
roots last winter on your place."
IF SO, name those that were
killed or badly damaged, and those
that were not injured?"
The replies to the first question con
firm the belief that there was no
Al Il 30 tI,., -, IS
the two northern tiers of counties, ex-
cept in exposed places where the snow
had blown off and the ground between
the trees bare, and, that no more
damage was done to trees and plants in
that part of the state than in an ordin-
ary winter when the temperature falls
to thirty eight degrees below zero.
The injury to the roots of trees was
more severe in the central than in the
southern part of the state. The great
est amount of damage is found in n
belt nearly five counties wide extend
ing across the state from the Missouri
to the Mississippi river, including
Hamilton, Story, Polk and Warren
counties. The counties contiguous to
this belt have suffered some loss but
the injury was not so severe rs to those
included within it,
When we come to the second question
it is difficult to determine. which
varieties have stood the best; the often
repeated expression ''all are injured"
none have escaped without injury"
fairly represents the condition of apple
trees, grape vines and blackberry
plants in the injured district.
What trees were killed or
damaged?" OlIenburg, the standard
of hardness for apples, has gone down
under the test of last winter. Wealthy
stands equal with Oldenburg and
Northwestern Greening in hardness as
applied to the recent root test One
third of the reports on these three
varieties mentioned them as injured rs
against twO-thirds reporting them in
good condition. Willowtwigs, Benoni
and Yellow Transparent have equal
numbers in reporting them injured and
not injured. Three fourths of the re
ports on ROmanstem, Kaump and Haas
say they are injured while Ben Davis,
Jonathan, Crimes Golden and Iowa
Blush have gone out. A great number
of varieties have been reported, but
the limits of this report will not admit
an extended list.
"What varieties have not been in
jured?" Whitney No. 20 and crabs
are the only representatives OF the APP
pl0 group that have not been reported
as injured
plum trees killed or injured ?"
Wyant, Hammer and Hawkcye were
nearly always reported in good condi-
ton. Onethird of the reports on De
Soto, Cheney and Forest Garden say
they were injured; one-half of the re-
ports on Wolf, Miner and Stoddard in
dictate damage to these varieties while
those on Wild Goose, Pottawattamie
and Robinson say they are dead or
badly damaged.
what varieties have not been in
jured?" The Americana varieties of
plums, on own roots, have not been
damaged to any great extent; Chicka-
saws have suffered more injury; the
Domestica class has been injured, as
reports now stand, fifty per cent, and
the Japanese sorts seventy-five per
cent.
Cherry trees killed." Two-thirds
of the reports on Early Richmond and
English Morello say that they are not
badly damaged, that three-fourths of
the Montmorencys and Ostheims are in
the same condition; five. sixths of the
reports on Wragg say it is not damaged