The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-06-02
FRUIT TREES on ROADSIDE.
Why 1tswill Be Good Many Years
Before They Can Be Planted
in Large Numbers.

IL Ii reported t00t IN some p9rtS or
Europe the municipalities have plant
ed trees by the roadside to such an ex-
tent that an annual crop Of fruit of
considerable size Is the result. We
have also heard Of the reported Gus.
tom among the Spaniards of planting
peach pits everywhere. that there may
be an abundance Of fruit for the peo-
pie. To what extent this practice has
resulted in q greatly enlarged fruit
crop We do not know. But some Of
the travellers in Europe testify to the
scarcity Of fruit there, so 1t would look
as II the practice has not resulted in .
superabundance Of the fruit. Annual
~ We are confronted by the question
of how to ornament our highways.
Our landscape gardeners and horti-
culturists have the most to say about
the matter.
It is easy enough to solve the prob
lemon paper. but not so easy to
solve 1t in q manner that can be
worked out. There have been great
many schemes tried in this country,
but few IL any have been successful.
SO far as the use of fruit trees along
the highway is concerned. The one
great obstacle to the planting Of fruit
trees by the highway is vandalism.
How they prevent this in Europe, II
they do prevent it, we do not know.
Perhaps they have enough watchmen
employed to look after the ripening
fruit. In this country the fruit trees
planted or growing along the highways
are wantonly rdespoiled Of the BIOS
SONS in poisoning time and Of their
fruit in fruit ripening time. and often
the fruit is taken before it is fit to
use, to prevent some one else from
getting it. How often have we seen
carriage loads of people driving into
the city with big boughs of apple BIOS
SONS, taken from some orchard where
. tree happened to stand, not on. but
near, the public highway. The grab"
system of living must be eliminated
before we can hope for much in this
direction. Last year was good year
for wild crab apples, and the people
living in the locality in which the
writer resides have the custom Of go
ing into the woods and gathering what
they need each year. And there are
generally enough crab apples for all.
But last year men from a distance
came into the locality at crab-apple
time They had wagons, bags and
pickers. They boldly invaded every
field and wood where crab apples were
ripening and skinned the trees Of their
fruit. which was afterward sold in
South Water street., Chicago. This
shows just what would happen in the
case Of fruit raised on the public high
way. Those that did the work of car
ing for the trees would reap none Of
the benefits; nor would the general
public. %a
Here and there in unfenced lots are
standing apple trees, and the treat
ment they receive shows what woulA
be the treatment Of trees likewise un-
protected. Before the apples are hard
ly ripe people come and shake or beat
them off with clubs. The trees are
left not only stripped but MANNED, and
after q few seasons of this treatment
present most unsightly appearance
The writer knows of one family that
had a big tree full of apples few
hundred feet from the house. One
night men came with wagon and
gathered the fruit, leaving only wheel
tracks for the owners Of the fruit.
When we have a denser population
and roads so valuable that men have
to be constantly employed to keep
guard over them and repair them, we
may be able to raise fruit by the road
side-but that time is as yet far dis
tant.-Farmers' Review.