Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-12-31
CREATES HARDY FRUITS.
Charles G.. Patton Accomplished
Great Work i'm Behalf of
Iowa.

Des Moines, Dec. Ex-Governor
Clarke in the course of an admiral BILE
off-hand address before the state
horticultural society paid high tri-
butte to Charles G. Patton and told
of his pleasant visit to the expert
ment station which Mr.. Patton is
conducting at Charles City and of
the work he is doing there. \
IF Mr.. Patton has accomplished
that which he is trying to do, said
the governor, the development OF
hardy fruits that will withstand the
severe winters of the northwest, he
will deserve the thanks of genera
tions of our people yet to come. IT
is just such work as this, the service
of man for his fellow man, that is
worth while in this world.
Mr. Patton was present at the
meeting of the society, as he has been
at most meetings for nearly a half
century. He brought with him, for
the first time some evidence of what
he is doing, especially in regard to
pear breeding.
Il firmly believe" he said to your
correspondent, that | have laid the
foundation for pear growing over q
large area of country where the
pear is an unknown fruit. They have
been at work on this problem at 9th
er places for many years, but at no
place have they built their work as
/ have on the foundation of the very
hardy Chinese pear trees. Here, for
instance, is the limb of a pear tree
showing that it is hard and sound;
yet that tree has withstood the sever
est winters and temperatures 80 de-
grees below and more. Still more
important, however, is the fact that
these pears are free from blight.
That is not local question, though
for the blight is the great obstacle
to pear growing everywhere. If |
have here trees that Withstand the
severe winters in a large group of
states, including northern Iowa,
Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dako-
tas, it will be a great achievement,
but tree that is free from the blight
would be welcomed everywhere"
Mr.. Patton states that he has at
least twenty varieties of seedlings
that are promising.
Il have been in Iowa over fifty
years." he said, and have been at
work on this problem of varieties
suitable for our northern climate for
forty-tive years, yet it is only the be-
ginning. 1t is not for any one man
to complete this work. 1t must go
on from generation to generation.
have made a good start, as / think.
had a great deal of experience try
ing to raise pears. | tried out at
least forty varieties and did not find
one that would endure. Over near
Dubuque a number of years ago a
pear was originated that, was hardi-
est of all and comparatively free from
blight. About % years ago ! COM
menced with the Chinese sand pear
as foundation. 1t is hardy but the
fruit not good. BY cross breeding
with good varieties, / have about
twenty new ones and of these only
one has shown any blight. Here is
the Kiefer pear grated on to the
sand pear and it bears well. Pears
grated TO the tops of the Russian
orelle have proved good and hardy.
One of the most interesting of the
phases of this work to me is the dis
oovery that where by merely top
grating on hardy trees we effect
such changes in the wood of the or
binary variety we must also effect
the seed of the fruit. Out of this
thought will come new element in
seedlings. All the work thus far
done looks good. ! am hopeful OF
the future
Mr.. Patton stated that he has
transplanted about soc seedlings this
year in his experiment work.
The state society decided upon
making the Charles City station the
only one to which the society looks
for results.