Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1901-01-03
THE ALDERMAN FRUIT FARM
Turner County Industry Which is
Advertising South
Dakota.

n Advertising South
@ Dakota.
n The Minneapolis Journal of De
@gmber 23 contains an illustrated
Rticle on the above nanaed farm,
Which is as follows:
I An interesting visitoT at the re
|ent meeting Of the Minnesota Hor-
cultural Society was Mrs. Laura
lderman of Hurley, S. D., owner
4 the largest apple orchard IN the
brthwest. Her success in apple
Missing has made her name known
iii over the country, as 1t brought
HSer to the special attention OF the de-
Ellrtment of agriculture which last
EAR published the record OF her
Bllccessful work in field not
Especially favorable to apple grow
1 he.
n Mrs. Alderman is tall, alert look
He woman Of middle age whose
geen eyes have a kindly sparkle aud
is a Journal woman she talked read
lily and with just pride Of her acieve-
hhent in horticulture.
II Hurley is not far from Yankton
ahd, therefore, on the southern bot
sier of the Dakotas. Mrs. Alderman
Hb a pioneer in the state, having lived
eIn her present farm twenty tour
aFears. As ali farming was eAperl
Mental when she went there, ls was
Hot long before a trla! was made OF
aFuits. In looking into the chances
apr success in the field, Mr.. and Mrs.
aAlderman were almost wholly guided
aby the experience and advise OF a.
sM. Sias. OF Rochester, Mimi, and
Hc. G. Patten, OF Charles City, Iowa,
3bioneer nurserylnen from whom
aEhey secured their stock OF northern
Varieties Of apples. They were not
Ronly experimenting under new con-
9Hitions but they were experienced III
8lruit raising. They planted exten-
Ssively almost from the outset and
3their farm early got the nickname
II Alderman's. Folly" Mrs. Alder
imam laughed as she related these
of their early exPer-
fences ard declared ''it was q fool,
hardy thing to do. "
Unlike many inexperienced frult-
sprowers, the Aldermans realized
Sth.ir ignorance and depended upon
land followed the advise Of the nur
seryrlen and to them Mrs. Alder
man credited her present success.
Upon advice they planted largely O
la few varieties and the orchard nov
Econsists almost wholly of Duches:
and Wealthy including 1000 tree:
Of the latter. Other varieties are ex
perimented with on small scale ane
Mrs. Aldermanshas found some which
she regards as very good and uses t.
some extent, but, now as elghteel
years ago, her chief dependence i
upon the Duchess and the Wealthy
She now plants only to replac
old trees as she does not care to en-
large her place. Il have about all
\ can manage myself, she said, 'an'
II ] don't care to have more than Cal
handle directly. am closing on
my other interests completely an
concentrating all my attention on th
| orchard. don't give much atten
/ ton to other fruits except strawbel
ries which come before the apple
need much labor. However, W
raise a few plums.
Mrs. Alderman is teachable an
says that it pays to be. This sh
gave as her reason for attending tn
horticultural society meeting: sh
came 10 learn. although she hs
never encountered in her orchar
many OF the difficulties that haras
other fruit growers. Her trees al
thrifty and hardy and seldom winte
kill. This she attributes chiefly
cultivation. OF her work she saie
| II have no pet theories that ] am U.
willing to give up, even when mi
I taken. SO | seem to get on vei
we'll.
The work of caring for the orchal
picking and marketing the fri
keeps an army of workers bus
The care OF the orchard employs fl
men all through the season. Whs
I 1 ~. = H..