Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-10
/ WAS A BAD YEAR
Iowa Horticulturists Discuss the
Raising Of Fruit in q
Bad Year.
Peach Orchards Have Been Plant.
ed Quite Extensively..Apple
Crop Failed.
lniury to Grape Vines Has Not
Been Repaired-.Ot
Reports.

Special to oTimes-Republican.
the Iowa State horticultural Society
today was well attended. The horticul-
turists of the state have not had very
good year of 1t, but they are hopeful OF
| the future, and their meeting here today
| was something of an experience meet
! ing with regard to how to raise fruits in
| q bad year in Iowa. President NJ. j.
Wragg, of Waukee, presided, and Wes-
LEY Greene, of Davenport, was the sec
retary. The program was well carried
I OUT and will continue two days more,
chiefly in the reading of papers on top
ics akin to fruit growing.
Secretary Wesley Greene, of Daven-
port, in his annual report, said the year
| Just closed has tested to the utmost the
| theory, as well as the practice, taught
blythe society of the great value of con-
servation OF soil moisture, and to this
! trial was also added the element OF
great heat. the intensity and duration
OF which has never before been record
ed in the annals of Iowa horticulture.
The prospect for fruit crop was very
encouraging in April. as shown by the
reports at that time. The percentage
outlook at that time was: Apples "a.
pears 81, American plums &c. European
pums 80, Japanese plums 80, cherries 50.
peaches SIS, grapes IS, red raspberries 96.
black raspberries S6, blackberries SO,
Strawberries "a. In June the prospects
had fallen considerably. July was the
hottest month on record, being 81 de-
grees above normal, with the thermom-
eter registering 100 or above for twelve
| DAYS at Des Moinee. This extreme heat
without rain soon cut the crop of vegeta-
bles to such low per cent that they
were scarce on the market at any price.
The condition Of fruit in August was
still on the decline, with the following
low percentages showing: Summer
apples 32.s winter apples 80,
plums 5, grapes 62, and black
besries nearly complete failure.
Owing to the short crop of apples and
the drying up before maturity of the
small fruits, the data was not secured
necessary to complete charts showing
the progress of ripening Of different
fruits. The Importance Of keeping a
record of the progress OF the fruit crop
from blooming to ripening is illustrated
in taking the history Of the Wealthy
apple The seeds were colored in the
southern part Of the state by Aug 12.
while in the north this development had
not been reached until Sept. Z. The
fruit was fully matured in the southern
part of the state by Aug. 20, and in the
north OF the state not until Sept. 20. The
query comes, docs degrees of differ
ence in temperature hasten the ripening
Of the Wealthy apple one month";" A
few observations are not sufficient, says
the secretary. to answer the question,
but multitude of corroborative evil
dence may lead to that conclusion. 1t is
this Intimate knowledge of all kinds of
fruit that is necessary for the fruit
grower to have when he is selecting
fruit for given locality. Hence re-
ports are needed from all sections Of the
state.
President Wragg, in his annual ad-
dress to the society. urged action for an
exhibit at the ST. Louis exposition, and
spoke in general of the progress of the
society Among other things he said:
j
are recognized not only in our own mar
ket, but in the markets of the world;
and in competitive exhibits she has al
ways been honored in being rated
among the first to receive the highest
awards of praise. Our horticultural
school stand second to none in this
country and it is with pride and pleas
ure that we point to the many who have
gone from our horticultural institutions
to hold like positions in our sister
states and also in the agricultural and
horticultural departments in Washing
ton These results warn us as state,
and as state society, to not let the
good work lag, but reach out and push
our work so as to maintain our present
high standard and to make, il possible,
greater efforts along the line OF pro-
gressive horticulture.
"Our premium offers for the produc-
ton Of new fruits has been dropped
from our volume for the reason that the
standard of excellence was placed so
high that none has as yet made any
claim for the premium. urge that our
board of directors reinstate this prem
ium list so that there will be some in
centive for those who are busy year af-
ter year crossing new fruits and breed
ing them up. For while the ideal is high,
yet there is possibility that we might
have an Ephrian Bull or Peter N.
Gideon In our ranks who might yet
make our society prominent by the in
PRODUCTION of some new fruit that has
superior quality in both fruit and tree.
/ would also urge that in our premium
list for exhibition of fruits at this So
cety, that under the present conditions
cold storage fruits be given an equal
chance with others, believing that We
should encourage our growers to pre-
pare early maturing fruits to show on
our tables. One year ago the meager
appropriation of $25 was made for an
exhibition at the state fair. While this
is a start In the right direction, yet ]
believe there is no better place and op-
portunity for popularizing our work
where SO great number can have the
benefit of our work and experience as at
the great annual gathering. 1 am con-
fident that $100 judiciously expended In
premiums at this time would have an
invlgorating effect In bringing exhibits
from our many experimenters, who as
yet have not been exhibitors. recon-
mend that this matter be referred to the