The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-03-06
SPRING IN MISSOURI.
Our Old Friend j. o. Pettis Contrib.
utes An Interesting Letter.
Durham, Mo.

Durham, Mo.
Editor Review:
This morning spring birds are
greeting us having returned from
their winter homes. ducks and geese
are passing through the unchartered
highways above us. Buds on trees
are swollen almost to the point of
bursting. Evidently we are at the
end of what has been the finest win
ter we can recall and we are several
mile stones past the three score
mark. In January there was freeze
up of about five days when ice formed
to the depth OF to 8 inches and by
using all availavle help we were able
to secure enough of the crystal har
vest to fill our ice houses. In 1866
very exceptional winter we had no
ice of quality that would keep under
best conditions but the following
summer we obtained the manufactured
article from ice plants in our town at
very reasonable prices at the same
time getting lesson on the practical
utility of modern inventions. This
years ground hog day was bright and
clear. and every succeeding day has
been mild with as much sunshine to
the square acre as was ever enjoyed
in this latitude in February.
Three days of this month remain
and they will be full of possibilities
to many of our fruit growers who are
strong in the conviction that as sure
as there is fog in February. there
will be in the following May frost
that will destroy the fruit. No one
of them seems able to trace the rela-
ton of fog to frost, to say whether it
be in the nature of prophecy and full
fillment. or cause and effect or some
mysterious balancings of clouds dur
ing solar cycles. We can no more
explain this matter than could an
artist present real thing in a photo
graph taken from imagination. How
ever we will net shadow their theory
with doubt for on clear cold night
in Nav 1905 down came frost kill
ing fruit embryonated in bud and
blossom according to the published
predictions of February prognostica-
tors and did not those horticultural
solons look wondrous wise as they
went about saying 81 told you so.
1906 has gone into history as the year
of the bumper fruit crop in Missouri.
There was more of all varieties down
here than could be used, sold or given
away.
The quality of fruit grown here is
excellent, varieties numerous and they
are in evidence through the whole
season from the early June straw.
berry to the standard pear and winter
apple gathered late in autumn. Last
season from the ripening of early
peaches until we picked the latest
from our own trees. thirteen weeks
had passed. In that time we had rasp-
berries. black berries. grape and
others fruits from garden and orchard.
We now have apples in splendid con-
dition. Quite different this from our
experience in the early days of
Crawford when canned good swith "hog
and hominy" were leading articles in
the bill of fare.
There are for sale here at $45. per
acre improved farms with fair build
ings and bearing orchards. Many of
these farms are offered on very rea
sonable terms and there is no necessity
for people to go into new country
and endure deprivation and toll for half
q life time while building up home.
Northern Missouri fruit growers
have been slow to appreciate the ad-
vantages of spraying their trees. Now
it is found wider market with bet
ter prices can be gained for quality
improved by spraying and the spray
pump is coming into general use.
The increasing value of the fruit cror
is one of the factors that is raising
the value of farm lands.
In Missouri this is an era of i'm
provements and progress along many
lines. Our towns are growing in pop
ulation and enterprise. Our people
are availing themselves of facilities
and general adaptation of modern i'm
provements in industrial arts and ag
ricultural science.
The clean and vigorous admjnistra
ton of Gov. Folk has given strong
or moral tone to the whole state. No
where is progress more noted nor in
deed more welcome than in the pro
auctions of the press. Formerly tn
ability and worth of an editor wa
rated by the amount of caustic sarcasm
he could pour on to an opponent or al
opposing political party. but tn
growth of culture and intelligence nov
demands civility and common sens
and editors must exercise discernment
dignity and decency beyond what wa
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