Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-12-26
Fruit Tree Frauds.

We have two requests that we show
up some of the frauds practiced by
sellers of nursery stock and fruit
tree peddlers. We do not feel equal
to the task, but we will give a few
pointers which may be of use to such
of our readers as may wish to buy
such stock. The questions of lati-
tude, location, soil, and subsequent
care given fruit trees after planting
have so much to do. with success or
failure that they must be considered
by the man who would be successful.
First, as to the latitude; latitude
is always subject to modification by
altitude or elevation and by isother-
NAL lines and so cannot be accepted
as a reliable guide in the selection of
varieties of fruit to plant; for in
stance, fruit which may be safely
planted in latitude AZ at an eleva-
ton of but 500 feet above the sea
level, may be utterly worthless to
plant in the same line of latitude at
an elevation of 1000 feet. Isother-
NAL Hnes-lines of varying tempera-
ture and humidity, which pass over
the country, pay but little attention
to latitude and largely determine the
climatic conditions of given local
ity, regardless of the question of
latitude; thus we find Nova Scotia
in latitude 45-47 and the state of
Washington in latitude 47-49 will pro-
duce varieties of fruits which can
not endure the climate of latitude AZ
in the central states-this because
ing tested as to their hardness. Out
the temperature of those localities
is modified by ocean influence in one
case, and the Japan current on the
Pacific IN the other. Thus, there is
no use in attempting to grow a Bald
win, a Spitzenberg, r. I. Greening,
or King apple in latitude As in any
of the central states. This makes il
imperative that suitable varieties be
selected for the locality where the
tres are to be planted. Now, the av-
erage tree peddler will fool buyer
on this point, and caring only to sell
his trees, will work of varieties on
the buyer utterly unfit for his loca-
ton. Your neighbor, who has made
a success of raising fruit, is the man
to see in the matter of selecting vari-
cites. Another fraud to be watched
is the getting of trees not true to
name. This risk is always run in
buying of the agents of a faraway
and unknown firm and the remedy is
simply to buy of your nearest reliable
home dealer. A large section of the
northwest was raided by the sellers
of variety of apple much wanted.
Thou sands of the trees were sold
and three or four years later it was
discovered that scarcely any of these
trees were true to name, and were
instead of all sorts and kinds. Untold
injury was thus done, not only to the
buyers, but to the orchard interests
of the country at large. AS to 10
cation: not every location is a good
site for an orchard: the agent may
tell you that his trees will grow any
where, but they won't; take your
neighbours and your home dealers
opinion on this mater before you in
vest in trees. The same thing applies
to soils. The apple win not grow in a
swamp nor on peat bed,neither will
| it do anything on q sterile droughty
gravel hillside. Tt is best 20 let
| new things alone. Men who want an
orchard, can seldom afford to be eS-
| perimenters. Leave this work for the
experiment stations and for the nur-
serymen. The agent makes his big
| gest profit from the sale of novelties.
| There are thousands of dollars
! thrown away every year in the pur-
| chase OF fruit trees in every western
community by ordering such stock OF
| strangers representing unknown
| firms. The only way TO stop this loss
| is to do as above indicate first
! consult your neighbour who has made
n success as to varieties. location,
etc, and then buy your trees Of some
firm near home whom You can get at
| afterwards. Still. there viii be lot
| of men read this who will fall VIC
| tim to the first tree peddler that
comes along. So what is the use OF
writing it2 tN