The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-12-05
SHOULD MOVE SLOWLY
Warning Given That Much Of y. p. Is
Not Suited to Fruit Culture =

MOI SuIt6u ~ Iiuit Iultuio
That the blanket claim for the upper
peninsula as fruit growing region
has been made too sweeping. and that
unless farmers who are being induced
70 plant orchards move slowly, and
only after seeking the advice of respon-
sible experts. much disappointment
will follow, is the assertion OF one OF
the best informed horticulturists
resident north of the straits.
1T is wrong to declare that the
upper peninsula is an ideal fruit
growing country and IL Is wrong that
if persisted in, will cost many persons
a lot of money, this authority re-
marked. ut can safely be said that
there are many localities where, given
proper management, orchards can as
sure tangible financial return for the
investment but this is all. v1h these
localities conditions of soil and air
drainage are favorable. Air diainags
is perhaps most important. for il is
proper air drainage that offsets the
danger OF early frosts that in many
perhaps most localities in the upper
peninsula makes orcharding highly
hazardous business.
II view with no small concern the
volume of indiscriminate, and unin.
formed, discussion Of the upper pen
insula as fruit growing region, Tor
| fear that IL will mean considerable
amount of promi scuous planting that
will have no chance of success. No
person who is not himself an expsr-
fenced orchardist should take the
chance involved in large expenditure
for land and trees, and expense
during the years he is waiting for his
orchard 10 bear-without seeking ex.
pert counsel of the most dependable
kind as to whether he is on the right
track. And In seeking counsel he
should keep as far away as he can
from voluble gentlemen whose glowing
promises are likely to blind his eyes to
the difficulties OF the undertaking.
and whose experience in orcharding is
| limited.
The apples that evoke the most
admiration at the county fairs are IL
should be remembered. usually the
apples of the lowest commercial value.
The Wolf River is the principal APP
pie Of this type. II is fairest TO look
upon but from the commercial view
point is hardly worth growing. 1t Is
tasteless and PUPPY, poor eating and
a poor cooking apple. yet its snowy
exterior and the statements about how
it yields have perhaps inspired moro
amateur orchardists than any other
one apple. The Wolf River fourishes
in the upper peninsula, hut il is a
snare and delusion
II would not seek 10 discourage
apple culture under favorable circum-
stances If farmer has bit of land
suitable fer orcnarding ne should, by
all means, set out lot OF trees to
the varieties that have given the best
loSuitS III tnlS uStIcJ but Il WOuld
prevent the mistakes in planting on
untavorable ground likely TO follow on
injudicious representation OF the
upper peninsula as typical tree fruit
country. This it is not. and never
will be. Widespread planting without
regard TO local conditions would mean
n discouraging number of failures.
Any enterprise that has the character
OF commercial orcharding should bo
entered into only after the most careful
investigation, and. If the persons
interested are not orchardists, only
after they have awaited themselves of
the advice of thoroughly competent
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