The Monte Vista journal., 1907-08-03
SUCCESSFUL HORTICULTURE.
Fruit Growing Requires intelligence
and Care.

VTOJt 0roWSuH VoVoUVe Usou1e"SS
and Care.
The following article from an ex-
change contains some thoughts which
cannot fail to interest anyone who Is
engaged In fruit growing or who con-
templates engaging in this work:
Some writer figured year or two
since that peach trees had been plant
ed 30 numerously in the southwest
that 1t would be q physical impossi.
bility. when these trees reached the
bearing age. to transport the fruit to
the market. In expressing that opinion
the writer forgot the old adage:
There's many 4 slip 'twixt the cup
and the lip" The writer has In mind
an orchard not thousand miles from
here and Of size that would be
called large even in this day OF big
things. in which IS per cent Of the
peach trees died the first year. and
this was not the fault of the trees,
but Of the men who planted without
experience and cared for them as II
they were hay field. Perhaps this 10
rather An exceptional case. but 1t 10
nevertheless surprising the number Of
trees that are lost the FIRST year en-.
tirely on account of lack of care. Here
IL the first Slip"
But assuming that the trees grow
on all right there are other slips"
awaiting tho unwary and the inex.
perienced. Diseases and insects are
ever ready to get all that they need
out Of an orchard. At arst. indeed.
there 10 comparative freedom from
these troubles. but they multiply in
time and then eternal vigilance IL tho
price OF liberty" and the price Of sue
cess. The brown rot," for instance.
ID one Of the diseases that you scarce
ly notice at hrst. but which increases
with the age Of the orchard and with
favorable seasons. Then there IL the
ever present borers and the San Jose
scale which has not troubled the
southwest much yet. but which has
played the everlasting mischief In
some sections Of the country. And
then come. occasionally. unfavorable
seasons. like the present one. Thea
the new orchardist fails to plan prop
erly for picking. packing and shippine
and possibly gets skinned" BY some
commission merchant. This caps the
climax Of other troubles and many
who start out bravely get disgustsd
with the whole business and 60 back
to the old crops and the old ways.
This 10 not written in discourage.
nent Of fruit growing. but rather to
e0phasise the nssd of expsrience and
accurate knoWisAes al aloag tAs tiAs.
We rsaA. occasionally. q ~ inmsass
amount Of moasy made out OF fruit o.
. small area The writer has In niAd
. man Who. IN oas year. sold elo.eeo
worth q peaches from 20 acres. euch
successes are always heralded far aaA
wide. but the numerous failures are
not recorded. The tact 10 that The
fruit business has great possibilities
In II for tre0eodous gains and lament.
able failures. There are chances in II
for 1000 per cent. proat: Likewise
chances for losing everything. The
only way to succeed 10 TO learn the
business from the ground up and keep
the brain - busy or busier than the
hands. OF the millions Of trees that
arc planted only . small per cent
produce salsble fruit: the rest 20 BY
the board. The fruit business 10 .
good business. bat It requires intelh.
gence to run II.